Memory Chip
by MarbleRabbit
Summary: Phyllis is the granddaughter of BOTH Dr. Wily & Dr. Light- a robotics genius at the ripening age of 14, but after years of working in Light Labs with her grandfathers, one goes mad with the idea of taking over the world! Unable to stop things from getting worse, things take an even bigger turn with events leading to Phyllis' disappearance and reappearance-100 YEARS LATER.
1. P 1 - Ch 1: Rock 'n' Roll, Phyllis!

**Before things get started! This is an AU fan fiction with a segment in the beginning to showcase the OC's past in the Classic era (20XX-200X), but most of the story will be in the era of X (21XX)! Expect there to be changes with the original plot of the Classic and X series in this fan fiction!**

 **I really hope you give it a chance, guys!**

* * *

 **Part 1 - Chapter 1: Rock 'n' Roll, Phyllis!**

 **~Phyllis' P.O.V.~**

My life was always full of crazy events- positive and negative occurrences alike. Never the less, these incidents I was usually pulled into by fate were enough for most parents of children my age to keep their kids away from me out of fear for their well being.

Especially because of that one time I accidentally blew up my next door neighbor's stove and set their house on fire... Yeah, that pretty much sealed my reputation in concrete. It wasn't that I was trying to be some kind of problem child or anything, no... It's just that when I tried to do things, I usually ended up screwing up royally for some reason.

I have irrefutable, _terrible_ luck- and there is nothing anyone can say to convince me otherwise.

"Phyllis, hand me my wrench set, will you?" My grandpa asks nicely from across the table in front of me, fingers twiddling in my line of sight to snap me out of whatever trance I was in.

"Eh?" I ask dumbly, shaken from my thoughts to look up and meet Grandpa Light's inquiring gaze. Beside him stand my brothers, Peter and Pate, with our other grandpa, Grandpa Wily, standing beside me.

All of them are giving me strange looks, looks which make me flush slightly out of discomfort. I shoot each of them a sour glare in return as I reach for the wrench set Grandpa Light has asked me for, pushing it across the table towards him.

"Er... I was just thinking about something, don't look at me like that," I complain irritably, causing my eldest brother of 20, Peter, to share a look with Grandpa Wily.

"Females, kid. This is why I split with your grandma," Grandpa Wily explains jokingly, causing Peter to snicker with him when I glare daggers at them.

I feel my cheeks puff up in offense, but say nothing when Grandpa Light takes the wrench set from me- his expression an apologetic smile that I don't dare look at full on out of fear that he will sense the amount of rage Grandpa Wily's words sets forth within me.

Standing between Grandpa Light and Peter- my younger brother of 11, a sweetheart named Pate, offers me a small smile that I manage return when his presence instills tranquility over my anger. Once I'm relaxed again, I look back over at Grandpa Light and watch his ministrations on his latest creation.

"...And there! He's finally finished!" Grandpa Light exclaims, putting aside the wrench he has been using with a large grin.

With that, he grabs a screwdriver up and begins to seal the abdomen of the robot laying on the table before us, careful not to scratch the surface of the robot with narrowed and focused eyes.

"Can I name him?" Pate asks quickly, looking from Grandpa Light to Grandpa Wily eagerly with a sweet smile.

"I don't see why not..." Wily says, sharing a grin with Doctor Light before looking back down at the ecstatic Pate. "What would you like to name him?"

Pate looks up and touches his chin in thought, his bright green hair much like my own and Peter's hair color, shining under Light Labs bright lighting. He squints his dark blue eyes at the robot before gasping loudly as if he has had a sudden epiphany.

"Hey! How about we name him Rock? Like for 'Rock 'n' Roll, we love oldies music here!" Pate suggests brightly, making both our grandfathers smile down at him.

"Sure, sure! Good pick, my boy!" Grandpa Light straightens his back up and clears his voice with a grin and a dramatic salute towards the Lightbot, resulting in giggles from both Pate and I. "From this day forth, I proclaim the name of thee, DLN-001... _Rock!"_ Grandpa Light declares, pulling out a navy blue flask with an 'E' written on either side of it in white paint. "Let's wake the fellow up then, shall we?"

My siblings, Doctor Wily and I watch Doctor Light gently part the synthetic lips of the humanoid Lightbot on the table. Grandpa Light's actions are smooth and careful, the robotics genius taking his time to pour the flask of 'E' down the bot's "hatch", so to speak. The 'E' while being poured into the Lightbot's lips almost resembles Cola, only lackluster-flat looking and without any pleasant scent.

'Rock' is the second robotic creation (despite his serial number of DLN-001) of Doctor Thomas Light and Doctor Albert Wily. The 'bot was created to have a body that resembles the appearance of a juvenile around maybe 11-14. Basically between Pate and I's age, but probably closer to Pate's than mine.

Grandpa Light had built the 'bot to have a head of soft, short brown hair that is swept towards towards the right side, a blue and white accented tee shirt adorning his torso. Beneath that, the Lightbot wore a pair of casual dark brown shorts, his forelegs reminiscent of large gauntlets the color of a sapphire blue- the casual appearance signifying that he would probably be a 'bot that would remain as a lab assistant.

It's during the time that I'm admiring the hard work Grandpa Wily and Grandpa Light has put into making Rock that the robot's eyes suddenly snap open to blink a pair of crystal blue eyes at my magenta irises.

I jump a little in surprise at the unexpected eye contact, which seems to continue on well after I'm sure he's already aware he's making me uncomfortable. Maybe there's a glitch in his processor or something? Why was he staring at me so... _creepily?_

"Hello, there, Rock!" Doctor Light speaks up first after a full minute of the Lightbot blankly gazing at me, giving the robot a smile despite Rock not even sparing him a glance yet. "It's wonderful to meet you! My name is Doctor Thomas Light- and this is my colleague Doctor Albert Wily. We are your creators!"

Rock blinks and finally tears his eyes away from me to look at Grandpa Light as blankly as he'd been staring at me. "Creators... Light and Wily," Rock repeats with a tone of uncertainty, clearly getting used to his ability to speak- and probably to _think_ as well, actually.

Even Rock's voice sounds perfect- nothing like the robot I tried to make in the fifth grade who's voice was monotonous and sometimes a different language. Not even sure how the other languages happened to be implemented into it, but whatever... That was three years ago, give or take. I've learned since then.

Rock glances back over at me curiously. "Are you Albert Wily?" He asks, causing Peter to snort in laughter across the _only_ Albert Wily in the room. I puff my cheeks up angrily again and turn away to stalk over towards another table- where all of Rocks blueprints have been scattered across the surface.

"Ah, no, Rock. That's my lovely granddaughter, Phyllis," Light corrects the robot with an awkward laugh, just before continuing with, "She's the sassy one in the family- I think you'll get along just fine with her... As long as you don't step on her toes or anything. As for Albert Wily..."

While they get over the introductions, I start to go through the blueprints that my grandfathers had both made, biting my lip as I memorize as much information from the blueprints as I can before anyone else can catch me taking an interest.

I've been sneaking looks at Rock's blueprints since my grandfathers had started working on their second ever robot. It's for a project of my own- a female robot. One I like to refer to as a Phylbot! Kinda like Grandpa Light's "Lightbots", but a "Phylbot" because I (obviously) built her.

Grandpa Light's first robot, Blues, had a few problems- a reason why he was also referred to as Protoman. He was a prototype and the first robot my grandfathers had created. It was only natural that the Lightbot would have a few.. Flaws. The fact that he was the first (DLN-000) and hadn't come back home since learning of his faults and time limit at "life", Pate and I had never met him. Peter had- but he was always deflecting the conversation whenever we brought Blues up.

I can only hope that my Phylbot doesn't end up like poor Blues...

I know how Grandpa Light feels about Protoman from the times I've brought the Lightbot up in the past. If my Phylbot ends up like Blues... I'll be _crushed_.

 _Okay, I think I've got everything. I might be able to finish my Phylbot by tonight!_

"Everything okay, Phyl?" I hear Grandpa Wily ask, using my nickname and stepping up beside me while I set the blueprints down. Crap... Caught. Well, I guess I better explain myself- Grandpa Wily will only press the issue more if I resist.

"Oh, just admiring all the work you and Grandpa Light did. You two are amazing- I... I wanna build robots when I grow up too!" I muster the courage to _finally_ admit, facing Grandpa Wily just as he nearly chokes on a sip of coffee in a mug that has been on the table with the blueprints since the afternoon. To put that into perspective, it is nighttime right now. The coffee doesn't seem hot anymore, _however,_ it appears that the coffee's temperature isn't the obvious _"issue"_ here.

"What?! _You_ want to build _robots?"_ Grandpa Wily repeats in shock, mouth slightly gaping. I nod to confirm what he repeats, wearing a look of confusion at his tone of what I can only describe as a tone of disappointment. "Sweetheart, that's a _man's_ job. You can't build robots, leave that to one of your brothers- well, if they decide they want to get into robotics. That kind of thing requires getting dirt and other chemicals all over you, and women don't like getting dirty."

With that, Wily laughs lightly at my claim and walks back over to Grandpa Light, leaving me standing by the table with Rock's blueprints with no option to refute his claims or defend my position.

 _That's a man's job. Women can't build robots. Nyeh, nyeh, blah, blah, BLAH!_

"Phyllis?"

At the voice of my little brother, I relax the grip of my hands on the edges of the table. The blood once again flushes back to my fingertips as I face Pate with a smile to mask my inner turmoil. I really want to flip the table over, but I don't have enough muscle to do so... Which only makes me angrier, to be honest.

"Yes, Pate? What do you need?" I answer my little brother, noting his mild expression of worry.

"You're not mad at Rock for his mistake of calling you Grandpa Wily, are you?" Pate asks innocently, fingers picking at his nails as he shifted from foot to foot. Clearly he's anxious for what my answer is- and it makes my smile a little more honest that it's meant to be. He's worried about that? I _just_ heard how misogynistic Grandpa Wily is- like being called both a "man" and a "grandpa" could dampen my mood any more than _that._

I almost burst out laughing at the though, but catch myself so I don't offend my brother's worries. "That's not why I excused myself. I walked away because Peter is a-"

"Don't finish that sentence, Sis," I hear my older brother state in warning, causing Pate to snicker with me. We all know what's coming.

"'S okay, Peter. I'll pray for you," I drawl out innocently with my hands weaved together, looking at my older brother who stands across the room beside the two doctors fussing over a robot that seems much more interested in Peter and I's conversation than whatever my grandfathers are doing.

As soon as the words leave my mouth, Peter turns his head to look at me and I let my lips curl up into a naughty grin.

...Which is exactly why he suddenly bolts towards me with the clear intent of revenge, making me whirl around and race up the stairs out of Grandpa Light's lab with a wild laugh.

 _Revenge is sweet!_

* * *

 **(Hours Later)**

 _...Damn it, it's already three AM and I'm not done with my Phylbot's programming or internal system for re-energizing with 'E' tanks... I_ literally _have two hours until either of my grandfathers come down here to start working on their other projects...!_

I pull my hands back from the mechanical innards of a small robot about the same size as Rock, only with a feminine face I'd spent far too much time creating synthetic skin for, but still designed to look like a child as well. She had long, beautiful blonde hair that went down just a little past her shoulders, her body covered in a pretty red dress that used to be mine when I was a younger. At the moment though, said red dress is pulled up just to the area underneath her chest where I can see into her opened abdomen. She isn't completely naked below though, as I'd slipped some black boy shorts on her hips just to give the robot some dignity while I work on her.

Currently, I'm programming her 'stomach' where the 'E' tanks (Energy Tanks = Robot Fuel) will collect fuel and serve to energize my Phylbot when she is energy deficient.

My fingers tremble just a bit when I start to screw shut the 'stomach' of my Phylbot from the inside, blinking with heavy eyelids as I fight against my need for sleep. My body is slightly sweaty from the air conditioning being off in the lab, and the only thing that stops me from turning it on is the noise it would make around the house- which will no doubt wake up my grandfathers and brothers. Eh, whatever. I'm too focused to really notice anything, like how badly I want to crash into a pile of pillows.

...Like grandfathers, like granddaughter?

I have to pull back again to rub my eyes with my forearm, as my hands are- like Wily had put it before- covered in grime and chemicals. _Dirty._

I grimace at the memory of Grandpa Wily's earlier sexist words.

 _Building robots is a man's job, Sweetheart._

He knows I _hate it_ when he calls me "sweetheart"...

My eyes trail down to the serene expression of my cute Phylbot, who looks almost asleep rather than 'offline'.

"What do you think? Do you agree with Gramps? You think girls can't build robots or get dirty?" I ask humorously. Obviously, she does not reply, so I let out a dry chuckle that reflects how _funny_ I find the situation. "I'll show him... 'Girls can't build robots' my foot. I'd just _loove_ to know how many men he can point out to have made their first robot at fourteen years old. The look on his face when I'm done with you will be all the _shit_ I need to die happy."

I pause and smirk at my robot, right before humming brightly and shifting to straddle the bot so I can get a better view of her innards. I put the Flathead screwdriver in place and start to turn it, but my hand begins to shake and I slip the tool off of the screw a third time that night. I let out a loud groan of irritation and slap my right arm. "ARGH! Stop twitching!"

 _Just breathe! Calm down... No need to yell at your limbs like a weirdo, just be glad no one has walked in on you yelling at yourself and get back to work so-_

"Wow, you did this all by yourself?"

I release a squeak _anybody_ would have been embarrassed to make, my head snapping around to see a familiar brown haired Lightbot admiring my Phylbot in clear awe as he skirts around to get a better view despite how I straddle my robot's legs. My eyes never shift from him as he moves, and I can already feel the shock of his presence wearing off enough to speak up.

"Wh-what are you doing here?!" I demand in a hushed, panicky voice. "I thought you were offline!"

Rock gives a small laugh and smiles sheepishly in my direction, clearly already getting a grasp on displaying facial emotions and humanistic actions when he scratches the back of his head with an awkward smile. I just glare a little and close my gaping mouth to wait for his answer.

"Oh, sorry. I've been awake the whole time, I just didn't say anything since you were so focused on your robot. You know, distractions and all that..." He says, causing me to scoff sourly until I look back at my Phylbot's innards and pause when something becomes glaringly apparent to me.

I've been talking to my Phylbot the _entire_ night. A robot who can neither hear me, nor reply yet.

"I know what you're thinking," Rock suddenly begins with a sly grin, his attention now completely resting on me as my cheeks slowly begin heating up to an unbearable temperature. No, please, no...! DAMN! _Argh!_ Who's idea was it to leave this cocky, blue robot on?!

I manage to slap on a small glare of defiance as I lift my gaze back up to him, trying to ignore the way he simpers more at my red cheeks.

"Oh, _do you?"_ I challenge the brown haired bot.

"Yes. I do. You're embarrassed I heard you talking to yourself the _whooole_ night," the Lightbot claims, to which I scoff at and retort fruitlessly with, "Uh, _no..."_

I turn my head to face away from the robot and glare at nothing with a sour grimace, crossing my arms and sitting back on my Phylbot's legs defiantly... Like, sheesh, Rock is already acting like he can be- Well, _human!_

After a few seconds of silence, I turn my head to see if he's still smugly grinning at me.

He is, that evil little Lightbot.

"Whatever," I huff, facing him again after my blush diminishes enough. "Just don't tell Doctor Wily or Doctor Light about what I'm doing- they'd probably kill me for doing a _'mans'_ job." I make air quotations at the "man" part, returning my focus back on my Phylbot before I realize what I've just said to a robot who has only been integrated into the world for a few hours at most.

"Wha- _Kill you?!"_ Rock ask, an expression of pure mortification falling over his once-smug face.

I almost face palm at my immense stupidity. _Oh, right, he doesn't know most expressions yet, only literal things- Gah, it's not_ my _fault that he seems like a normal human being and not a fresh robot!_

"N-no! _Figure of speech!_ Sometimes when people say 'kill', it could just be in the context of 'light trouble' with a bit of dramatization. My grandfathers aren't _actually_ going to murder me- don't worry. Y-you can relax now," I blurt out a mile a minute, eventually quelling the astonished look from Rock's face.

"Figure of speech, huh... Sounds impractical for non-native speakers," Rock says with a raised brow.

"Yeah, well-" I cut myself off upon spotting the clock near the lab entrance. _"Ugh!_ Rock, you were right. You're distracting me, go back to your recharging-sleepy pod, or whatever that thingy is called where you go offline and stuff. I need to finish working on Roll-"

"Wait, her name is _Roll?"_ Rock asks in surprise, putting a hand on my shoulder so I can't turn away from him or ignore the grin that begins to pull up at the corners of his synthetic lips.

Okay, so he doesn't get expressions, but he gets musical references? Honestly, her name just rolled off of my tongue automatically without going through my thinking process first- as I only say it after thinking about how Pate had named Rock himself.

Oh, whatever. I'll just, _roll_ with it.

Hhhhehehe... Punny.

"Yes, yes, smarty pants- Like Rock 'n' roll. Us Wily and Light grandchildren love that kind of music... Don't look at me like that, Pate named you. I'm merely continuing my family's recent trend of similar beginning names, which started from my father," I explain, leaning in and turning the screwdriver a bit until I realize I'm actually _un_ screwing it on accident rather than tightening the knot. I leer at my work but quickly get back to screwing it in the _right_ way.

 _Man, I really need to get myself some Z's..._

"Peter, Pate and Phyllis? But doesn't Phyllis begin with 'F'?" the Lightbot asks curiously, making me shake my head at his query and crack a smile. At least he's learning.

"No, it starts with a 'Ph'. That's why it sounds like an 'F'," I correct the robot, who nods out of the corner of my eye.

Rock steps up closer beside me while I struggle with the screwdriver, watching with interest until he finally speaks up again. "Would you like any help?"

I glance back at Rock in mild surprise. Well, he _was_ made to be a lab assistant... "Oh. Sure."

I look around a bit before grinning and pointing towards the staircase.

"The exit's that way," I say sweetly to Rock.

...

"My processor has confirmed that you are a dork," Rock replies after a moment- a moment in which I'm sure he was questioning whether I meant those words seriously or not.

He's _already_ learning- an awesome confirmation that this robot is, in fact, adaptable to understanding new concepts.

I snicker and hand him my screwdriver, watching the proud smile that crosses his face when he realizes he's guessed correctly that I was joking. "Can you finish screwing her stomach tank in and then seal her up? She's about ready to be put online now, I just need to go find her an 'E' tank for her."

Rock gives me a big smile and nods, jumping in my place when I walk off to find an 'E' tank for Roll.

Light labs is actually pretty big basement, but it's perfect for what Doctor Light and Doctor Wily do. We have as much room as necessary to do the things we need to do, and it's much better than the basement at my home- which had been converted to my dad's mancave and office for his work. It's always dirty in his office, and nearly _impossible_ to clean up to anything remotely acceptable in today's society. Not even Mom can clean it up- and _that's_ saying something!

Not to say Light labs is cleaner than that, no. Light labs is _far_ from clean. It only looks better because it's big and has all this fancy equipment everywhere.

Unfortunately, that only makes it twice as hard to find an spare 'E' tank with all the junk Grandpa Light has scattered everywhere. Hopefully Rock's and Roll's presence here will help with the disaster that was an overworking Doctor Light on 3% battery and 97% caffeine.

After slipping behind a shelf and digging through a couple of boxes, I finally find around four boxes chock full of 'E' tanks. I pump my fist in the air and slip back out to return to Rock and Roll with two tanks.

"I found one! Man, it's really cluttered back the-?" I cut myself off when I find both of my grandfathers standing in front of Rock and my Phylbot, a nervous expression of guilt on Rock's face as he glances back at me nervously.

Naturally, I decide to handle things like a responsible adult.

I give Roll's body a look of "shock".

 _"Whaaaat?_ When did _that_ get there?" I ask before whirling around to hide behind the shelves again

"Phyllis. Get back here _now,"_ Grandpa Light says sternly, clearly taking the authoritarian initiative when it seems that no other convincing will get me to obey.

I wince at his tone, but drag myself back out from behind the shelves with a less-than-excited look on my face. I resist wincing at the glares they both give me- why do they have to make such a big deal out of this?

"Doctor Light-!" Rock begins, looking from me to the robotics geniuses and back like he wants to intervene and defend me.

I really hope he still doesn't think they're going to literally kill me. I don't want to have to explain _that_ scenario to my grandfathers...

"Settle down, Rock. We're just going to have a talk with Phyl," Grandpa Wily interrupts the Lightbot, who in turn only relaxes a smidgen before crossing his arms with a silent grimace. To be honest, it's kind of a cute display for such a young looking robot (with, of course, a better and slowly aging mind), but I don't let his attempt at chivalry distract me from my situation.

"Phyllis... Did you make this robot?" Grandpa Light asks first, gesturing a hand towards the blonde haired Phylbot that lay on the table just behind Rock and I. I eye Grandpa Light carefully, but he wears a perfect poker face- making it impossible to gauge his feelings regarding my robotic creation.

"Yes..." I answer solemnly, playing with the cap of the 'E' tank I'd managed to find.

"By using Rock's blueprints, I presume?"

At that point, I refuse to look anyone in the eye. I take a moment longer before answering again, having to _literally_ force my eyes from getting moist at the corners and lower lid. "...Yes..."

"Which means you handled dangerous chemicals by yourself... Right?"

 _"Obviously,"_ I can't help but sass Grandpa Light due to his entourage of questions- the genius could have pieced everything together in his mind by himself! Seriously, who ELSE could have built Roll? _Aliens?_

Grandpa Wily doesn't seem to find my sass as entertaining as Grandpa Light does, who finally cracks a chuckle despite Grandpa Wily narrowing his eyes on me and saying, "Watch your mouth, young lady."

Either way, I make sure to look as remorseless as possible due to the fact that _both_ doctors seem to be sexist. I was hoping to have at _least_ Grandpa Light on my side, but clearly that's just a fantasy...

"Hmph," I simply huff at them, crossing my arms like Rock and turning my head away again. I want to flip the table over again- though this time I don't because Roll is currently occupying it. Like I'd do _that_ to my precious robot!

What irks me the most is the way Grandpa Light finds my current actions even _funnier,_ his boisterous laughter filling my ears and leaving me to shoot him the dirtiest glare I can muster up. My eyes could have set the devil on fire at that moment.

"Ug... Teenagers," Grandpa Wily mutters, even releasing a chuckle of his own.

My fuse has died out at completely at Grandpa Wily's laughter and now I'm more confused than anything else. I turn to get some input on this from Rock, as he's the only one that I'm completely sure is on my side of things... However, his blue eyes and twisted expression of befuddlement are the only hints that tell me he knows about as much as I did on what's happening in the heads of the two doctors.

"You're a good kid, Phyllis," Grandpa Wily says after a minute, grinning at me. "Don't let _anyone_ try to push you around if you don't want them to. Got it?"

I almost do a double take.

 _Wait, when did this go from a scolding to a life lesson?!_ I think to myself with a baffled expression I don't dare hide for the sole reason of getting my question across to them.

I raise a finger and open my mouth- only to promptly snap my jaw shut and roll my eyes with a sigh of resignation and mild vexation.

"Well, it's better than how Mom tries to teach me life lessons, so I guess I can't complain," I admit with a casual shrug.

"You know your grandpas' know best though, don't you?" Grandpa Light says kindly, glancing between between Rock and I. At Grandpa Light's proud gaze, Rock puffs up slightly and shoots me a grin, like he's happy everything's turned out okay.

There's a sudden light that appears in Grandpa Light's eyes that early morning, one that I swear is the root of our surname, "Light". Well, Peter, Pate and I have hyphenated surnames of "Wily-Light", but still.

"What is it?" I ask curiously, cocking my head slightly to the side in question at Grandpa Light's look.

"We're just proud of you, Phyllis," Grandpa Wily comments, fixing the baby-pink ribbon head band at the top of my head so the bow is plumped up again.

"You know how your brothers are- they aren't really interested in robotics like us. They'd rather play their video games and things like that. We almost thought that we wouldn't have anyone to pass our Wily-Light legacy down to after your parents showed no interest!" Grandpa Light admits, scratching the back of his head in what looks to be embarrassment. "But look at you! Your first robot and you're only fourteen years old!"

Grandpa Light startles me with a big bear hug, eliciting laughter from both the recently awakened Lightbot and Grandpa Wily. I laugh along with them as I catch my breath from Grandpa Light's crushing bear hug, unable to return the hug since my arms are pinned to my sides by his arms.

Well, looks like I just figured out the reason why our grandfathers' seem to like me the most out of us Wily-Light grandchildren! I mean, really, besides the sexism I received earlier after finally revealing my dream to create robots like my grandfathers, (which was not genuine, apparently) they really don't treat me bad or anything at all. Not to say my grandfathers' treat Peter and Pate bad or anything... I'm just saying that I get more attention.

Honestly... And here I thought I'd hidden my interest in robotics pretty damn well!

"Well," Grandpa Light sets me down so we can all surround my Phylbot, making me bounce on my heels in delight. "Let's see how you've done before we put your robot online."

I feel somebody jab my ribs lightly beside me while the doctors immediately shift to fuss over Roll, causing me to flinch from the tickle and turn to see Rock giving me a thumbs up that I smile brightly at.

"By the way, nice save earlier. Pretending you didn't have anything to do with Roll and all," Rock teases with a mocking look of no-nonsense over his face as he nodded in "approval".

"I was caught off guard! And seriously, it's like nearly six AM, my brain is on low battery. You can't hold me accountable for trying. What would _you_ have said anyways?" I challenge the Light number, causing Rock to touch his chin and look up thoughtfully.

...

"Wasn't me?" Rock offers lamely, making me snort and look towards my grandfathers and Roll.

"Oh yeah, 'cause that's _so much better_ than what I said," I retort, hearing the robot laugh just as my grandfathers glance back at me with stunned expressions plastered over their features. The victorious look on my face is wiped off immediately when I notice their blank stares of disbelief. Did I screw up? Is it worse than I anticipated?! "What?"

"She didn't miss a single detail of the blueprints, Thomas," Grandpa Wily says to his colleague as they gape at me, sending my eyes down to my feet when a warm sensation begins to crawl up my neck and to my ears. So it's the complete opposite of what I thought my results would be... They aren't pulling my leg, are they?

 _They're embarrassing me, it can't be_ that _amazing... Besides, all I did was follow Rock's blueprints- I didn't develop the idea or anything like Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily did._

"Time to wake her up then. Why don't you do the honors, Doctor Phyllis?" Grandpa Wily jokes once the two _real_ doctors shake their stupification off, grabbing my free arm and pulling me up beside Roll. On the way I mindlessly latch onto Rock as well, causing him to be yanked along with a small yelp of surprise until we stop by Roll's body.

I nearly squeal in in glee and excitement, but manage to keep my cool while I get ready for the moment of my first robot's awakening. I glance down at the two 'E' tanks in my hands, only to stare and then raise a brow in confusion. Wait, why do I have two...?

...Oh!

"Oh, this one's for you, Rock. I thought you might need one handy since the rest of the 'E' tanks are shoved behind the shelves right now," I say, looking at Rock and handing one blue flask to him.

"Thanks," he says with a bright smile, taking one from me while I move to pour 'E' into the lips of my Phylbot much like Grandpa Light had done in Rock's case only hours before.

Within seconds after the liquid has passed through her lips, her eyelids abruptly snap open as if she's surprised. Blue eyes much similar to Rock's irises meet mine and start to study me with clear interest.

I guess I end up staring back at her for a while too, but to be honest, who _wouldn't_ stare at a successful creation of their own?

Roll blinks at me silently before her eyes shift to roam around the room, causing Grandpa Light to nudge me with an arm and clear his voice to bring my head out of the clouds.

Roll's attention fell on Doctor Light at this, but he's looking down at me with an encouraging smile.

"Go on, Phyl," he says to me, oblivious to the rapid increase of my heart rate as I return my gaze to Roll.

I take a moment to swallow down my anxiety and let out a breath of air before offering my "online" Phylbot a smile. She looks at me once more and blinks curiously again, awaiting for what would happen next.

"Hi, Roll! Good to see you awake. My name's Phyllis- I made you," I say as cheerily as possible despite the wringing knot of excitement in my chest that has me both nervous and extremely happy.

I'm happy Roll was online, that my creation's moving her head and taking an interest in her environment- but I'm also nervous that maybe she won't like her own creator because I'm kind of "King of the Weirdos"...

There's a small moment of silence until I find another topic to delve into, grabbing Rock's arm and raising it so he's noticed by Roll as well. "This is your brother, Rock! He woke up a little earlier- He's like you."

Roll glances over at Rock, who offers the blonde haired robot a bright grin after I release his arm once more.

When she smiles but stays evidently silent throughout our introductions, my heart begins to hasten more- and _not_ in a good way this time.

 _Oh no, please tell me I didn't mess up on the language again... If Roll starts speaking Taiwanese, I'm_ so _out of here!_

"Roll?" Grandpa Wily suddenly asks in the middle of the silence, as if just noticing her name. I offer him a cheeky grin, causing the robotics genius to snicker at me.

At Grandpa Wily's laugh, Roll giggles as well, shifting to sit up rather than continue laying down. Upon using her hands to push herself in a sitting position, she glances down at them and brings them up so she can wiggle her fingers experimentally where she can see them.

"It's cool, right?" Rock asks her, watching the female designed robot begin to swing her legs back and forth before looking up at Rock. "I felt the same way when I was activated too."

"...I'm Roll?" She finally speaks, making my grandfathers and I sigh in unison with relief- until we notice that we were all (minus Rock) waiting for Roll to start speaking in Spanish or some other lesser known language like Icelandic or something. The three of us laugh a bit and I'm pulled into two warm hugs while Rock acquaints himself with his new sister.

"Well done, Phyllis," Grandpa Wily says while Grandpa Light messes up my hair affectionately.

That day, it seemed like things in my life were finally looking up. Like my luck would get better as long as I was with my grandfathers and all the other people I loved.

...Soon though, I would find myself mistaken. It was naive of me to believe peace was _anything_ that could be "everlasting".

* * *

 ***End of Part 1 - Chapter 1: Rock 'n' Roll!***

Feedback is ** _always_** appreciated OwO

*EDITED*


	2. P 1 - Ch 2: Unexplainable Occurences

**Hope you totally dig this chapter.**

* * *

 **Part 1 - Ch. 2: Unexplainable Occurrences**

 **(1 Year Later)**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

"Phyllis, this is Mom again. I've called over thirteen times, please pick up your comm. device! I'm getting worried... Your grandfathers said you never went to the lab after class, and they're out with a few of the Robot Masters looking for you right now..."

...

"Phyllis, _please pick up."_

I wiggle my fingers experimentally, feeling the tips of my nails brush over what I vaguely recognize as tall grass and dirt. I feel unusually woozy, but manage to lift my head and blink through the blurry veil of sleep that coats my drowsy irises. For a second, I think something's wrong with my eyes since the veil refuses to clear, so I begin to rub them furiously as panic starts settling in my mind at the thought of losing my vision.

After a second, I realize my eyes are fine and that it's just extremely foggy, which makes me laugh lightly at my own stupidity as my body calms down. I relax _only_ a little though, since I still don't know what exactly is going on at the moment.

 _That's odd... When did I fall asleep? Or get_ outside _for that matter?_ I think, just as I hear the familiar **'ping'** of my communicator going off to insinuate either a call or a visual message. The screen of the thin device lights up the ground around me momentarily, giving me its location just to the left of my body.

When I lift my arm up, I find that it's a tad bit difficult to move- as if my limbs are weighed down or in slow motion.

Using my little strength and resisting the urge to flop over and nap again, I swipe in the unlock code to my comm. device and answer the call with squinted eyes at the bright light.

"H-Hello?" I ask, my voice groggy sounding as I speak into the small mic of the device.

"OH MY GOD! PHYLLIS, WHERE ARE YOU?!" My mom suddenly screams into my ear, causing me to flinch and drop the communicator for a second with a glare of exasperation towards it. I growl, contemplating whether I _really_ want to pick the device up again and continue that sort of conversation.

"Phyllis? Phyl, are you still there?" My mom speaks from the comm. device again, this time with a gentle tone that makes her seem almost harmless. The key word here is _"almost"._

I pick up the communicator against my better judgment and carefully roll over onto my feet, which feel like they're made up of jelly rather than muscle at the moment.

"Hmm?" I basically grunt, swaying and putting a hand on a strangely warm tree beside me to stabilize my rickety balance. Why is it so warm? The foggy temperature is pretty cool in contrast... What made the tree acquire such a heat to them?

"Phyllis, you sound strange, what's wrong?" I hear Mom ask while I shake my head and blink some more to adjust my vision in the dark fog with only the screen of my communicator as a source of light.

I feel as if I've drunk too many alcoholic beverages- but that's obviously an impossibility considering I'd never been stupid enough to drink towards that amount of inebriation... Not to mention I was underage by about _six years_ and stuff. The only time I was allowed that freedom was when Peter felt generous- but he put a cap on how many I could have.

"It's super dark and foggy out here- I can't see a single thing," I blurt out into the mic, outright ignoring Mom's question in my dazed mindset. "I think I fell asleep outside or something. What time is it, eleven PM...?"

There's minute of silence before Mom speaks up again, and when she does, a chill inadvertently begins to run straight up my spine. I barely know what to make of the situation, let alone the words she manages to utter through the receiver on her end.

"Phyl, it's nine AM, you've been gone the entire night. It's already bright and sunny outside- I'm looking out the window of your Grandpa Light's home right now with your two Robot Masters."

Still dazed, I look straight up into the inky sky of dark reddish-violet clouds with a scowl. Then, like some kind of idiot, I shake my head as if Mom can see my disagreement. She's crazy- how can anyone mistake _that sky_ for morning time?

...

"Phyllis?" She asks, snapping me out of a trance that's slowly attempting to take my mind back to sleep and unconsciousness. What are we talking about again?

"I'm... I'm feeling kind of dizzy..." I mumble incoherently, causing my mom to reply with a startled, _"Eh?"_

I just shake my head a second time and pull the communicator from my ear- hanging up on her and redialing for a video call to show her the sky. Instead of messing around with me, she should be finding a way to come get me so I can go back home and sleep somewhere comfortable! What an utter waste of time...!

After a minute of no answer, I'm about to hang up until the video feed comes through to show me the visual of a curly, maroon haired woman with pale skin, red lipstick, and a fancy office suit in what looks to be the living room of Grandpa Light's home.

"Oh, Phyllis!" The woman known better as "Mom" says in relief, putting a hand over her chest with a sigh. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

"Yeah. Great," I wave her concern off and pan the comm. device flat to get a picture of the sky. "See? It's night. Widely known as the time when the skies are dark and the stars come out."

"Watch your mouth, young lady," My mother snaps despite me proving her wrong. Seriously, talk about _priorities..._

With that, I pan the camera back on my face, the brightness of the screen and video half blinding me from everything beyond my communicator. In fact, the light on my face actually makes my surroundings seem less visible than before, with light bouncing off of the particles of fog and lighting up the scenery of widely spread trees that I can't see past five feet or so.

"Doctor Phyllis!" Roll suddenly shouts, jumping in front of my mother so that her cute, synthetic face is now in focus. I flush a bit in flattery and absentmindedly rub at the area around my navel. It's sorta itchy...? Probably a mosquito bite.

"Roll, you don't have to call me that, I'm not even a doctor yet. Just a lazy high school student with a hidden agenda," I remind the Phylbot as I run a hand down my face to try and wake myself up properly. My eyes still feel incredibly heavy- like they can close at any given moment.

I'm ignored. "Not now! Where are you? We've all been worried sick! Everyone is out looking for you and Rock nearly went _ballistic_ when you didn't show up yesterday to finish working on Ice man! We haven't heard from my brother since he went out to look for you last night!" Roll says, her words running a mile a minute and clearly stunning Mom in the background of the video feed.

"Well, he hasn't found me yet considering where I am..." I state, feeling my eyelids grow heavier by the minute.

Can I _just_ get a few more minutes of sleep...?

"PHYLLIS!"

My eyes snap back open, just in time to see Roll and Mom whirl around to look at something off-screen in the back of Grandpa's house. In mere seconds, Rock has his face in view with an almost crazy expression of relief, blue eyes wild as he visibly scans my face for any signs of trauma.

"Hi, Rock, I'm fine. Calm down already, you look like you're about to go neurotic or something," I comment, only to hear a snort off-screen, followed by another familiar voice casually answering, "Too late."

At that, an irritated look crosses Rock's face as he vanishes from my view, Roll watching her brother with interest and curiosity- right up until there's a crashing sound that makes her visibly wince beside my annoyed looking mother.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess that was Cut," I say, feeling a woozy smile tug on my lips at the antics of my most recent creation. Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily sure liked him too, he was _definitely_ a winner of a robot.

"NOT NOW!" Rock barks as he returns into view and grabs either side of the screen so I'm forced to only focus on him.

It's in that moment that I finally register his current state, a state in which his white and blue accented shirt has brown mud spots and his hair was disheveled with leaves and twigs- caught between the locks of his short robot hair.

Needless to say, I try not to giggle at the sight of the usually clean robot, which is hard considering my rather dazed mindset at the moment. I let a small squeak slip, but promptly shut my mouth when he pauses and gives me a leer of suspicion. He shrugs it off quickly though, obviously choosing to focus on the important matters.

"Where've you been?!" Rock demands like a disappointed father after his daughter arrives _after_ curfew, swatting irritably at his hair when another noise escapes my lips. "Stop laughing at me and answer the question, I've been looking everywhere for you!"

That demand shuts me right up and puts me in my place when I open my mouth to answer him. I look away from the camera to try and get a view at where I am. After a minute of eyeing the fog and darkness, I have my final verdict.

"I have _no_ idea," I answer honestly, panning the camera to the sky again. "But I'd really like for someone to try and explain our time differences. All I can come up with is that I've appeared on the other side of the Earth. Somehow."

As I pan the camera back on my face, I notice Rock has finally stepped back to allow Roll and Mom to see as well, the three sharing worried glances between one another while I stare and wait for one of them to give me a reasonable answer to my dilemma.

It's then that a robot with orange forearms, feet and a spherical head with scissor blade ends on top appears on screen with my family, mid-yawn despite being a robot and _not_ an organic creature.

"Okay, Doc-ette. What's the last thing you remember?" The orange Robot Master, commonly known as Cut or Cut man, asks as he crosses his arms and feigns composure. The worried glint in his eyes says otherwise though- he isn't as composed as he makes himself out to be.

I look up in thought, thinking back to the day before yesterday first, as it was still completely clear in my head.

I remember going to school at Tri Academy and visiting Light Labs to finish up working on Cut and activate him while Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily worked on a couple of their own Robot Masters- by the names of Bomb man, Elec man, and Guts man.

Then I went home, went on a hunt for my ETR (Electronic Text Reader) when it suddenly went missing, did my homework once I found my ETR in my hamper strangely enough, went to bed, got up in the morning, went to school again, started heading for Light Labs after classes and...

Then nothing.

Except for a single thought buried in the back of my mind, one that was not only oddly disturbing, but... Rather unusual.

"'I can't sleep'," I blurt out in confusion, making nearly everyone on screen balk at my reply. I have to agree with them- it's not descriptive or helpful in any way, but it _is_ the last thing I can remember.

"That's it? _That's_ the last thing you remember? Not being able to sleep the night before?" Cut asks in clear confusion.

I shake my head. "No, not the night before. It's weird, I feel like it was in the middle of the day at an unusual time or something," I explain, making my family on screen acquire a collection of startled expressions.

Roll opens her mouth to speak again, but is interrupted when I flinch at the sound of bushes and leaves rustling ahead of me by at least a couple of feet- as if somebody had just run by. The crunching leaves and snapping twigs fall into a silence as quick as they start, and even though I'm dazed, the noises convince me to be alert as I listen for anymore noises.

"Phyllis? What was that?" Mom asks while I turn the comm. device towards the origin of the disturbance.

"Sounded like someone running, but it's too foggy to see anything," I answer, using my free hand to grab onto the trunks of the warm trees around for support and placement as I walk towards the area where the noise had come from.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa- Hold on one second, Doc-ette! I hate to cut in, but are you sure it's safe to go _towards_ the noise? Do you have anything to protect yourself with if it ain't friendly?" Cut man inquires, making me pat down my body and pockets for something I already know isn't there.

"Cut, are you sure this is the time to be making your silly puns...?" Roll asks dryly with a heated huff that would have me laughing at any other point in time.

"Er... No weapons of self defense. You're probably right," I say to Cut, walking backwards slowly to try and distance myself from where I'd heard the running.

...

I frown at the lack of a reply and glance at my communicator, only to see the screen had frozen with the sound white noise. "Guys? Cut? Roll?" I ask in hopes that maybe the sound is still working. Then again, if mic _was_ working, wouldn't they call out to say their feed was full of white noise too?

I hang up on the video call and redial the coordinates of Light Labs, but I'm only met with the sound of more uncanny static that makes me grit my teeth at my situation.

I'm now officially alone (and WIDE AWAKE), which is the _last_ thing I want in a foggy forest in the middle of the night with no idea of where in the hell I am.

It's during the time that I'm continuously redialing Light Labs that the sound of running comes from directly in front of me, the figure passing and causing a small rush of air to hit me. I flinch wide eyed as it sends the hairs on the back of my neck prickling up like the quills of a porcupine ready to protect itself. The hairs I have, however, are sure to do nothing of the sort...

My hand loses its grip around my communicator in the moment the unidentifiable figure running past me, causing it to thump against the earth loudly with a _'crack'_. I'm almost immediately reminded that I'm most certainly _not_ alone.

 _What the hell is out here with me?!_ I think in horror.

Since I don't expect for another call to get through to me on my comm. device, I yelp like a kicked puppy when my communicator begins to buzz and ring like an alarm clock, startling me into walking back a couple steps from it. It's making weird electronic noises- not like the musical ringtone either a call or an alarm would prompt it to make... This time it sounds broken and _disturbing_ , like metal against metal- or nails against a chalkboard.

The device has its screen lit up, illuminating a bit of the ground and blinking a specific time at me that nearly makes me double over in disbelief and fear since I'm absolutely _sure_ it had been that time about ten minutes before.

 **9:00 AM.**

* * *

My eyes snap open to the sound of my alarm clock, which is buzzing like an over-sized fly with the cry of an elephant.

 _Nooo..._ I think to myself with a grimace as I roll over and pull my sheets over my head to try and ignore the loud, infernal device out of my reach. I _would_ try to turn it off, but I had purposefully placed it to ring out of reach so that I would be motivated to wake up in the morning...

Worst. Idea. _Ever._

 _Totally ruined my dream, and at the good part too!_

I'm in the middle of mentally mourning my unfinished horror-esque dream when I hear the sound of my bedroom door opening, the handle audibly banging against the wall behind it. I shrink back into the sheets, listening to the footsteps entering my room as the unidentified individual walks towards my alarm clock.

With a gentle push and click, the blaring sound of my alarm goes silent, making me sigh inaudibly in relief. The creature that has entered my room is none other than my sweet, sweet guardian angel from heaven, that much is certain!

 _Jokes aside, that must be Dad. Mom would have dragged me out of bed by my earlobe by now if it was her..._ I think, blessed by my sudden spark of luck and closing my eyes to ignore my dad's attempts to awaken me. He was pretty easy to sleep through, so I knew I'd have no trouble with this.

...

The footsteps step up to my bedside from the side my back faces, so I pretend to be asleep and keep my slow breathing at a natural pace. I can fool him no sweat!

 _...If Dad tries to tickle me awake, I swear, I will slam my heel so hard against his face that people will think Neanderthals walk the Earth again._

I feel him pull the sheets down from my face and torso, making the light from my window seep through my eyelids in a tangy-orange tint. My sides tingle in anticipation even though there are no signs that I'm going to be tickled. Nevertheless, my right leg's ready to cause damage if necessary.

...

"Phyllis! WAKE UP!" A familiar voice shouts cheerfully, making me resist grinning when I realize who is _actually_ in my room.

Two hands push at my back, but I refuse to budge or even open an eye to greet him.

 _Meh. Loser. Go away._ I think as he starts poking nearly every part of my body to get me up. It isn't until he reaches that sensitive area between my rib and hip bone that he finally has me springing up with such a loud yelp that I'm almost sure I've broken my voice box. I force myself to relax and release a pathetic whine when my assaulter bursts out laughing at the result of his poking.

"Hah! Humans are so weird!" He giggles, laughing and pointing at me with an unregretful grin.

I shoot the brown haired robot a glare. "I'm contemplating whether I should destroy you or not," I say with a threatening tone, one that Rock simply brushes off easily with a shrug after he stops laughing so hard.

"Okay. Destroy me then," Rock challenges with a grin that only makes me wanna beat him up even more.

I groan and hold out my hand. "Fine, I know I'm a weak and puny human. _Whatever._ You win. Now help me up, loser," I say as casually as possible.

Rock chuckles as he grabs my hand, but abruptly shuts up when my expression goes downright wicked in the blink of an eye. My other hand immediately latches onto his wrist and I turn with an evil laugh, hearing the Lightbot shout in objection when I flip his sorry ass straight over my shoulder and slam him down on the other side of my bed hard enough that I hear my bed frame object as well.

He seems stunned into silence, staring up at the ceiling blankly as I slip out of my bed with an award winning smirk and strut over to my dresser victoriously. I grab my school uniform from my top drawer and head for the bathroom, pausing at the doorway to look at the Lightbot that is finally sitting up after such a humiliating defeat at the hands of a 'puny' human.

Our eyes meet.

"By the way..." I point at the bedroom door and give him a cheeky grin. "Exit's that way."

I promptly shut the bathroom door on his gaping expression, leaning back against it once I've locked so I can shake with silent chuckles. HA! I've been _waiting_ to show up that lousy little robot! Rock, 4 - Phyllis, 1!

Thank you, Mom, for those stupid self defense classes you forced me into attending. I guess they were good for something after all!

As I tear my pajamas off, my mind wanders to the dumb reason I had to wake up early that morning.

Weekdays. Days that would be _so_ much better if we took "school" out of the equation and expanded the "Light Labs" variable.

But _nooo..._ Because despite being a robotics genius at fifteen, school still matters. It's going to tell me what career I want to have in the future since I can't decide for myself until I pick up some skills! Skills such as- oh, I don't know... BEING ABLE TO CREATE SENTIENT ARTIFICIAL BEINGS.

After a quick shower I hop into my uniform, shoving the hem of my white flannel into my red denim shorts with red suspender clip-ons. As soon as I have my white thigh high socks on with my favorite red and white platform boots, I make my re-appearance into my bedroom.

"Where'd you learn to flip people like that?!" Rock asks almost immediately in awe, blue eyes glistening with curiosity as he jumps off my bed to walk up to me in excitement.

I pick up my communicator from my night table and slip it in my pocket, scooping up my tablet (called an ETR), where my many electronic textbooks are loaded into.

"My mom forces me to attend self defense classes. I can flip just about anyone over my shoulder. I'm sure you could do it too if you tri-" I begin, dropping my ETR when I feel Rock suddenly take hold of my hand and wrist. Realization floods my brain. "No, ROCK, WAIT-!"

I should learn to keep my mouth shut.

* * *

"That was _awesome!"_ Rock cheers after me as I adjust my hair with a sour grimace on my face, fluffing my pink ribbon hair band and taking two staircase steps down at a time.

After his little stunt? It was back to square one... Rock, 5 - Phyllis, 1. ARGH!

"For _you_ maybe. I'm pretty sure you didn't kiss the carpet when _I_ flipped you over my shoulder, Jerk," I grumble as we enter the kitchen, where I spot Mom, Peter, and Doctor Light sitting at the dinner table.

"Ah! There she is! Good morning, Phyllis!" Grandpa Light greets me, getting out of his seat when I approach and wrapping me in a hug nobody else could ever give me other than probably Grandpa Wily.

"Morning, Grandpa Light," I greet, hugging him back and pecking his cheek before taking a seat at the table with Rock beside me.

"I'm shocked you managed to wake her up. She sleeps like the dead," Peter comments across from Rock and I as he bites into some toast with a smirk. Lucky for Peter, he's in college and doesn't have class until 11:30.

"Put a cork in it," I shoot back, glad not to hear Mom's favorite line when I speak out of turn.

"Watch your mouth, young lady," she says on cue, causing me to glare in her direction despite her full attention on whatever her father was telling her. I spoke too soon, I guess...

"Morning, Doctor Phyllis!" Roll says with an upbeat cheer as she pops out of nowhere, causing both Peter and I to jerk in surprise before she sets a plate of three stacked hot cakes and a glass of chocolate milk before me. "I made your favorite!"

"Oh, morning, Roll. Thanks, it looks good!" I reply just as brightly, watching as she slides an 'E' tank towards Rock before taking a seat on my other side with an 'E' tank of her own.

I dig into my food with a big smile ignoring the way Peter's eyes continuously flick towards me from across the table. He wants to say something, that much is obvious...

"You know," Peter begins, pecking his index finger against the screen of his comm. device as he speaks, "There's a higher chance of asphyxiating if you take bigger bites."

My eyes narrow on him as I pause my chewing. "Chuh-hup," I say through a mouthful of pancakes before grabbing my glass of milk to help me swallow my food. I choose to ignore his condescending warning. "Where's Pate?"

"He left already. Isn't it embarrassing when your baby brother is more responsible than you?" Peter inquires, clearly trying to take a jab at my pride.

I don't even flinch at his attempt. "No," I answer with a casual shake of my head.

Peter rolls his eyes at his communicator, but I'm pretty sure the motion is meant for me and my ditsy antics.

"Speaking of embarrassing things..." I begin once I finish eating, standing up with my ETR and slowly backing up towards the front door. Peter seems to pick up that I'm about to drop one of my insults on him and stands up as well, eyes narrowing on me as he begins to step around the dinner table like a predator.

"It's it embarrassing to have the same level of intellect as a garden tool?" I inquire as he advances on my retreating form.

Both of us pause and I let a sly, shit eating grin grow across my face.

Thankfully, Peter only chases me halfway to my school before simply giving up and turning to head back home once we reached the midway point between home and Tri Academy.

"Tell Roll the food was delicious!" I call after Peter as he walks in the opposite direction. His only reaction is to wave a hand at me in a signal that either means he heard me or that he didn't care. Knowing my big brother though, I knew he'd still do what I asked of him.

Five minutes later, I'm nearing a trio of skyscrapers that serves as my high school, clutching my ETR to myself as I tinker with its system settings on the way. The sun beats down on my exposed arms and legs, making a thin layer of sweat appear over my skin as I walk down the street.

"Phyllis! Wait for me!" I hear a voice abruptly call from somewhere behind me.

I pause mid step and glance back, spotting my friend Cecilia running to catch up to me. By the time she reaches me, she's out of breath and hunches forward to take a breather before she speaks again. I crack a wry smile and raise a brow, letting a short chuckle slip past my lips as I watch her.

"Damn. What are you in a hurry for?"

"Really, Phyl? I called out like five times! Clean your ears out or something, seriously!" The brown haired girl with two pigtails complains as she looks up at me with an accusing glare of discontent.

"Whoops. My bad, I didn't hear you," I admit sheepishly, switching my ETR off and tucking it under my arm once we fall into step with each other.

Cecilia and I have know each other since we were seven, but I can't really call her my _best_ friend since I've given the title to Rock already. I mean, sure, I've known Cecilia much longer than I've known Rock, but I feel like Rock understands me more than she does- with the exception of Roll and my grandfathers.

Nevertheless, Cecilia and I are still pretty close friends.

"Ugh, I hate that our class is on the fortieth floor! Does this height not scream 'danger' to anyone else _besides_ me?" The brunette asks with a mildly miffed expression as she presses her forehead and hands against the glass walls of the ascending elevator we rode in.

"I'd be more worried with how many germs you're collecting on your forehead by putting your face against that," I tease with a lazy simper.

Cecilia abruptly pulls away from the window with a look of disgust.

"True, ewwie," she complains, rubbing her forehead with her right arm as if it would get rid of the microscopic creatures that were most likely transferred onto her face.

We step out of the elevator and onto the top floor once it comes to a stop, watching a couple of other elevators across from us open around the lobby of the floor we are on. There are about six elevators, but regardless of the amount, people have things to do and places to be. Naturally, the school recommends that students arrive at school a little early to beat the traffic jam hour. As for class periods, only the teachers have to switch rooms (HAH! Suckkas!) and usually the school has most of the teachers on a single floor organized to have the least amount of teachers with the need to switch floors as possible.

"I'll meet up with you in class, I gotta pee," I say, finding myself scratching at my bellybutton much like I'd done during my funky dream last night.

"Alright. I'm gonna buy a snack, you want anything?" She calls out when I begin jogging down a hallway to find the bathrooms.

"Spicy 'Tater Chips, please!" I reply as I shove the door to the girls' restroom open and go to do my business.

It isn't until I'm washing my hands that my tummy begins to feel itchy yet again. Thankfully, there's nobody in the bathroom to watch me stomp my foot and groan in annoyance at the irritated area I was unable scratch since I was busy trying to dry my hands off.

"Okay, why am I so freaking itchy?!" I growl impatiently, slipping my suspender straps off of my shoulders and pulling my shirt out of my shorts to uncover my tummy- specifically the general area of my belly button.

At first, when I'd been dressing in the morning, I hadn't seen anything particularly out of the ordinary. In the time since then to _now_ though, I've been scratching the area relentlessly.

My eyes linger on my belly button now, which is red due to all the scratching that I've put it through... But that isn't what has me transfixed on the area. I push around the red area to get a better look at what I think I'm seeing, which is a very, _very-_ almost barely visible- white line of scarred tissue that goes around my navel in the shape of a triangle.

 _Wait, what is that? When did I get that? Did I rest against something in the shape of a triangle, or what?_ I wonder in confusion, turning on a sink and rubbing some water on the irritated skin to relieve the need to scratch it.

It does little to help, but I know I don't have enough time to sit there staring at it forever- If I take too long in the bathroom, Cecilia will come in after me knowing something is wrong.

 _Whatever it is, it's probably nothing..._ I decide, tucking my shirt back into my shorts and readjusting my suspender straps back over my shoulders.

On cue, the bathroom door opens and Cecilia pops her head in to look at me. "What's taking so long? Come on, I have to tell you what happened with my sister yesterday! It was hilarious!" She says gleefully, making me hastily exit the bathroom after her while rubbing at my navel gently.

Weird...

* * *

 **Did you totally dig it?**

 **~MarbleRabbit~**

 ***EDITED***


	3. P 1 - Ch 3: Project 'X'

**Part 1 - Ch. 3: Project 'X'**

 **(Weeks Later)**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

 _"...Whew!_ Looks like I'm done, guys!" I announce with a grin, closing the body of a small sky blue robot with white forearms, legs and a white fluff trim framing his humanoid-like face to mimic the appearance of an Eskimo outfit. My right fingers were going numb in a hooked position after standing there working on the inside of my new robot master, so I immediately raise both my arms to get the kinks out of my bones and muscles, while twiddling my fingers to get the feeling back into them.

Behind me stand my first two successful creations, Roll and Cut, who look at each other curiously once I turn to face them on their overall verdicts for my new robot's design. It isn't tacky or anything, right? I sure as heck hope not, I'm actually already quite fond of my third robot's appearance- though considering the positive responses from my grandfathers' I assume they'll equally like this robot's appearance. Just in case though, I'm crossing my fingers...

"Is it just me, or is she getting faster at creating robot masters?" Roll asks the orange humanoid robot beside her, a hand under her chin to give her a thoughtful appearance. Cut's only response is to give her a shrug in reply, holding two spare 'E' tank at hand- one that he was sipping from carefully every now and then.

"How would I know? This is my first time seeing Doc-ette working her magic- the last robot master she made was _me,_ if you don't remember," Cut reminds her with amusement her while stepping forward to hand me the 'E' tank he wasn't currently drinking out of, offering me a teasing wink and a playful chuckle. "For you, my lady~!"

I roll my eyes at my robot's antics, taking the 'E' tank with a smile playing at my lips despite the attitude I'm trying to display at his attempts of 'flirting'. He'd just learned of it the other day, and unfortunately, it seems like there's no stopping him now. Rats. "Thank you, Cut... I _guess_ I might be getting faster at building robots. Seems logical enough considering the practice and experience I've gained off of making the two of you," I agree with Roll half-heartedly, not wanting to jump and agree right off the bat at the risk of painting myself in an arrogant light in front of my robots.

The last thing I need is for them to think I'm self-righteous! ...But really, I totally am getting faster and stuff- I've even learned a few doohickey-shortcuts to simplify my new robot's internal wiring. Aw, yeah, who's totally kick ass? Me, _that's_ who!

"Phyllis, did I hear you say you were done?" Grandpa Wily calls from another table a couple feet away, putting down whatever he's currently doing to walk on over to my own table. I offer him a big grin as I turn to face him, catching his expression shifting to surprise before he starts to laugh and points at my cheek. "Sweetheart, you have a little something on your face..."

I frown a little and wipe at my cheek, though my attention is completely zeroed in on his blasted pet name for me. "My name isn't 'Sweetheart', Grandpa... Watch yourself there," I huff, but he only laughs harder. At first, I think he's ignoring my vexation, but when he reaches over to wipe my face with a blue disposable towel cloth over his thumb, I relax and meet his warm gaze with a soft expression.

"Right, Phyl. It's a habit, sorry," he says, pulling his hand back and making me all warm inside when that look in his eyes that I've been seeing for a long time- that proud look of delight whenever Grandpa Light or Grandpa Wily looks at me or talks about me to someone else- stares back at me. "So you finished your robot?"

"Yep!" I claim, snapping out of the daze of warm happiness I'm nearly consumed by and turning to pop open the 'E' tank I hold. "Rise and shine, Ice Man! It's time to wakey-wakey~!"

I part his lips to pour the brown liquid down his robotic throat, only for the newbuilt's eyes to instantly snap open and grab the 'E' tank (and, in extension, my hand). He clings to my hand and forces the can to tilt over more, causing the entire 'E' tank of liquid to be dumped in his mouth in one single fluid motion.

I can feel the stare of Grandpa Wily and my two robots narrowed curiously on Ice from behind me, my own stares attempting to drill into the head of the surprisingly spontaneous robot that is now waiting on the last final drops of 'E' to land on his synthetic tongue.

Ice man is the first robot to act in such an energized manner upon his system start up, oblivious to everything that is currently happening other than getting every last drop of 'E'. By the looks of it, none of us in the room exist to him yet as he patiently holds my hand and the 'E' tank, pressing his robust metal phalanges against the bones of my knuckles and hand hard enough that I'm sure there will be a bit of bruising.

"I'll... I'll go grab Rock and Doctor Light so they can meet him," I hear Roll say awkwardly from where she stands, feet shuffling towards the exit as if she were walking in a daze of some sorts. Obviously she's startled by Ice's energy to something completely foreign, like waking up and being able to _think._ I imagine Grandpa Wily and Cut were astonished too, as I'm so engulfed by watching Ice that I barely even feel the pain of his fingers digging into my hand.

Cut man steps up to my side with Grandpa Wily, the two of them eying the Eskimo designed robot master closer. Cut examines my face, and only when I wince a bit does he seem to realize that Ice is actually crushing my hand. With hasty movements and slight anxiousness over my wellbeing that he doesn't actively display, save for rare moments when I'm doing something incredibly stupid for the sake of making my robot designs better and/or playing with chemicals from the lab that I'm forbidden to touch (which I touch anyways... Actually, I none of that is rare at all. I'm a notorious troublemaker~), Cut immediately pulls my hand out from under Ice's but even after he saves my hand from being crushed, I keep my hand at the bottom of the 'E' tank Ice holds.

"Sheesh, that's one big appetite he has... How big did you make his stomach tank?!" Cut asks me with a suspicious glare once he steps back from rescuing my handbones.

I finally tear my eyes off of Ice to narrow my eyes on the orange robot beside me. "As big as I made _yours,_ mister 'four-E-tanks-a-day-is-normal'," I retort snarkily at his comment while Ice finally releases 'E' tank and allows me to take the empty flask back from him.

The ice using robot begins to turn his head in all directions, clearly taking an interest in his surroundings at what seems to be lighting speed. Once he finishes with that, he shifts his big, cute eyes towards Cut, Grandpa Wily, and myself with confusion written all over his face.

"Mornin', Ice!" I exclaim to his puzzled but fully alert expression. "Or I guess night, since it's no longer daytime... My name is Phyllis and I'm your creator."

My introductions were slowly growing warmer and less like a nervous school kid speaking to a classroom for project day with every robot that woke up in Grandpa Lights lab. I'm pretty sure I had come off as cold towards the third robot master build by my grandfathers, Guts Man- but after hanging out with him and Rock for a while, he seems to like me a little more. I'm pretty sure I can count him as a friend now, but that first initial meeting had been rather shaky.

So when Ice _immediately_ launches himself at me with dazzling grin, I'm completely caught off guard. I fumble to hold him in my arms, eventually steadying his body and balancing properly despite his stunning weight. He's made of metal- so it's only natural that he's kind of heavy... But really, my grandfathers' need to invest on stronger metals with lighter weights.

 _"Phyllis-!"_ Grandpa Wily slightly panics, until Ice's voice cuts him off much to his clear surprise.

"You're the _best!"_ Are the first words out of the newly built robot master's mouth. A blush of embarrassment rises up my neck, making me turn my head to hide my flustered expression of both extreme bashfulness and overjoyed glee. I would do handsprings right now if I wasn't holding on to the delighted newbuilt that was currently hugging the life out of me- blissfully unaware of his own strength.

 _No one's ever said that to me before..._

"Oh, that's so sweet, thank you! ...But I'm not quite deserving of that title. I think my grandfathers are _way_ better than me," I reply humbly, hearing the sound of footsteps approaching us from behind.

Ice moves back at arms length, still in my hold, but no longer placing his attention on me from the way he was staring at someone over my shoulder. The only way I can describe his expression is a glazed, starry-eyed gaze of longing that has me raising a single eyebrow in question. I'm evidently ignored.

The newbuilt robot master squirms, a signal that makes me drop the arctic robot back on his feet so that we can both turn around to the people that are behind me- Grandpa Light takes his place beside Grandpa Wily and Rock 'n' Roll (Haaa, that never gets old!), who are both beside Cut to offer Ice more warm smiles.

Roll decides to speak first, flashing a bright, blinding smile at Ice- the latter going stock still as his eyes meet hers.

"Hi! I'm Roll, the first robot Doctor Phyllis made. These are our brothers-" Roll begins, only to cut herself off when we all notice the way Ice's face is starting to inexplicably turn red. Oh no, what's happening...? Roll's blonde brows knit together with worry, prompting her to approach a step closer to get a better look at the newbuilt for any complications. "Ice? Is there something a matte-?"

The only female robot master in the room isn't able to finish her sentence (yet again) when she is interrupted by Ice suddenly pitching backwards and off balance, nearly clipping his head on the table corner until I dive down to catch his falling form in my arms.

"Ice?!" I panic, Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily quickly helping me ease the fallen robot master back on the operating table.

Sometime in the middle of my frenzy, I scoop up Ice Man's nearby blueprints and begin to shuffle through the notes and reminders for anything I might have missed- little or big. Maybe I didn't tighten something up enough? Maybe something was _too_ tight? Maybe one of the shortcuts I'd used to simplify Ice backfired?

"I-I don't understand! I programmed his processor with all the necessary codes and correctly engineered his circulatory fluid pump engine! I couldn't have made a mistake, I'm _never_ forgetful about these things, I-I..." I babble out loud, only to come up with zero-to-zilch answers that results in all my papers to go flying one after another to the floor. I have no answer to explain Ice's sudden system _failure._ "I messed up! And I don't even know what I did wrong...! I'll never be as good as my grandfathers! I'm a total _failure_ at robotics! A complete _moron!"_

"PHYLLIS!" Rock suddenly shouts at the top of his... Well, certainly not _lungs_...

Startled by his abrupt and sharp voice, I wince and turn my head to face his exasperated visage with confusion written all over my face. Rock raises his own eyebrow and points to the mess around me, where I only then notice the mess of papers I've thrown about in my mini tantrum of anxiety. My arms are still raised over me, blueprints and papers crushed in my fingers as I take a moment to breathe.

He reaches over and grabs my wrists, gently pinning them to my sides as he locks eyes with me. _"Relax._ Ice is _fine_. See for yourself- he didn't have any kind of failure," the brown haired robot explains to me slowly.

Rock's eyes shift towards the side with a look of further irritation- which is quite surprising for the usually playful and pacifistic robot.

"Then why did he...?" I follow Rock's gaze, freezing and nearly snorting in laughter when I see Ice laying on the operating table belly down with his robotic legs crossed elegantly behind him. His elbows and hands are propping his head up so that he is (I kid you not) _dreamily_ staring at Roll- who appears quite puzzled by the newbuilt's immediate change in behavior.

"Doc-ette, you didn't do anything funky to _my_ processor, didja?" Cut asks upon approaching Rock and I, causing Rock to smack the orange 'bot's chest almost instantly with a brisk shake of his head as if his brother's comment would somehow offend me.

I hiss with a thoughtful expression, looking up with my hands set on my hips. "You _know,_ now that you mention it, I can't really recall if I set your settings high enough on your 'Cut's a buttload of crap'-o-meter," I shoot back. "But considering how much of a butthead you are, I think I set it high _enough_."

Results are beautiful, as Rock suddenly bends over in a fit of laughter, Cut himself just glaring at me sharply with an unamused click of his tongue. "Funny," he bites out, before eventually giving me a proud smile. "No wonder you're always told to 'watch your mouth', you are _vicious!"_

I shrug casually with a grin, looking down at my fingernails with mocking nonchalance.

"What are you guys talking about?" Roll asks curiously, my grandfathers giving Ice a last once over as he keeps his infatuated gaze glued to Roll.

"Processors," Rock replies dismissively before I can say anything, making my blonde phylbot puff her cheeks up much like I do when I'm irritated or dislike a certain situation.

"Fine. _Don't_ include me in the conversation then," she curtly hisses at us, leaving me a victim of her glare despite not doing anything. I pout at the cold look she just _has_ to peg _me_ with. I didn't even get a chance to say anything!

Before I can speak up and try amending things, I feel someone tap my shoulder. RAAATS!

"I'm heading home now, Honey. You be a good girl and help Grandpa Light with whatever he needs assistance with, alright?" Grandpa Wily speaks as he comes up beside me and throws an arm over my shoulders so we can give each other a side hug. Of course, my expression is pretty sour at what he calls me.

"Gramps, I didn't veto 'Sweetheart' so you could start calling me another sickly sweet nickname," I grumble with a pointedly disgusted glare of disapproval. He just laughs and rubs the back of my neck with a grin.

"I'll see you later, _my funny honey-bunny-kins~!_ " My arm snaps out to swat at the back of his head, but the spry older man ducks under my attempt and rushes past me before I can get a good hit on him, giving me one last wave that I reluctantly return with an eye roll as Rock and Roll leave to escort him out.

Roll is giggling at me, and I shoot her a look to go silent even though I'm sure she won't listen to me. Rock, however, just smiles back at me brightly- a spark in his eyes that I can't quite place flashing behind his blue irises fleetingly enough that I'm unable to determine what it means. Curious, I watch him with my head slightly cocking to the side in interest as he turns away to exit with Roll and Grandpa Wily.

 _What was that look he gave me? It looked... Nice._

"Where's she going?"

The voice of the new robot master at my side has both Cut and I snapping out of our respective dazes (which makes me notice Cut has been eyeing me the entire time I've been eyeing Rock), dragging our attention to Ice's expression of curiosity and seriousness as he looks at us for an answer.

"Oh, no worries, bro. They're just walking the good Doctor to the exit. Your girlfriend will be back soon enough," Cut states playfully with a smug smile as he watches Ice's expression twist with confusion. Poor innocent robot has no idea that Cut is teasing him...

"Girl... Friend?" Ice repeats in a tone of uncertainty, eyes then glazing over as he stares off into a perpetual zone of ideas and daydreams- at least he _looks_ like he's daydreaming and making ideas. I may have designed and programmed him to do those things, but I'm not too sure how close their processor functions actually are to the processing function of the human brain. I did try to make them close enough to emotions the way _I_ feel them at least.

"Phyllis, would you come over here, please?" I hear Grandpa Light ask from beside one of the lab tables a couple feet away.

"Give me a second," I say to my Grandpa Light, right before looking at Cut and pushing him closer to Ice with a stern no-nonsense expressoin. "Get acquainted."

I scurry away from the two phylbot robots before the older of the two can lunge for my hand and pull me back, leaving Cut to deal with his awkward, love struck sibling. I can't help the cackle of delight as Cut gives me this look of betrayal upon my retreating figure.

"Need something?" I ask upon approaching Grandpa Light, glancing back with a giggle at a flustered orange robot that _at least_ seems to be attempting my orders. From the look of confusion on Ice's face though, Cut seems to still not be as socially adept as his older siblings- Rock and Roll.

"There's something I'd like your help on, but I would prefer it to be kept between only you and I. As soon as all the robot masters are offline, we'll get started on it," Grandpa Light says with a grin when I cock my head to the side curiously. He wants my help on something super secret- so secret he's unwilling to even let the _robot masters_ in on it?! Uh, count me _in!_

"Get started on what?" I decide to pry slightly, completely snagged on the hook of his offer. Did he need help with finishing the last robot masters? No, that's not secret enough if he doesn't want the robot masters themselves to know... Oh, what is it?!

"No. We're going to build a _special_ robot," Grandpa Light hints playfully, causing me to go wide-eyed in fascination at the prospect.

 _A special robot? As in with a different system and design to the robot masters we've currently made? What could he possibly mean by special? How come I can't be as smart as him and create my own ideas for creating robots... All I know how to do is improve on what's already there..._ I think and wonder, nodding despite the flurry of thoughts swirling in my mind after his plan revelation.

"Hey, you know, it's kind of late already- Weren't you supposed to head home earlier, Doc-ette?" I hear Cut ask suddenly from beside me, the scissor-head robot walking over to me and Grandpa Light with a look of what seems to be relief. Ice follows closely behind him, offering me the same bright smile he'd given me when he first saw me upon waking up. Poor Cut though- we might need to work on those awkward social skills of his...

"Nonsense- it's a Saturday, Cut Man. She has no need to go home early, as it's not a school night. However, in this case, she's actually spending the night here," Light says casually, lifting a mug of coffee up to his lips (dear god, Gramps, at _this_ hour?!). Ice and I seem a bit confused at where he'd gotten the coffee from, but I personally decide to disregard the inconsequential detail and give my grandfather a look of distaste before pointedly glancing over at the clock- which reads 9:21 PM.

Grandpa Light just smiles and shrugs innocently at me.

"She's spending the night?!" I hear Rock's voice exclaim from the stairway, Rock himself following at a run that has obviously left Roll behind since she has yet to reappear.

He runs right up to me and grabs my hands in his, wearing an expression of unimaginable excitement as he looks up at me from his shorter form. I can't help but smile at the exuberant robot as he proceeds to bounce up and down with undiluted excitement.

"That's great! We can play games, and stay up all night, and tell scary stories in the dark, and watch movies, and-!" He begins to babble non-stop, clearly showing how much of a robot he is when he doesn't stop to pause for a breath and his voice persists without fading out of the lack of anymore oxygen.

"Slow down, Rock. She's staying _strictly_ for business," Grandpa Light cuts in patiently with a grin at his robot's enthusiasm.

I can't help but feel sorry for Rock when his face manages to shift from overjoyed to utterly dismayed in a span of seconds, causing me to look up at Grandpa Light with a pleading expression. Something tells me he isn't entirely serious, as he is very kind towards his robots, treating them like they are his own children. Considering Rock is their first successful robot master, it's obvious he does everything in his power to appease the brown haired boy's guilty pleasures- such as sacrificing his granddaughter to the blue robot just to let him have some social time.

Grandpa Light doesn't seem upset or anything- he simply laughs _"lightly"_ (aaaww yeah!) and gestures me towards Rock before moving around the lab to continue working on the frame of an unfinished robot master across the room.

I return my gaze to Rock and smile back at him, who's already looking at me and quickly hides that familiar flash in his eyes I'd only caught before when he was looking at me and walking Grandpa Wily out with Roll. Rather than question it again, I dismiss it as something I will just have to keep an eye out for to see what causes it. "I guess that's a go ahead," I say with a laugh, pretending I didn't see it.

Rock gives me a grin and tightens his hold on my hands, slightly swinging them cheerfully.

"Wow, Rock. If I knew any better, I'd say you liked Doc-ette a _wee_ _bit_ too much. You know, from the way you always get all hyped up and run around waving your arms on the weekday afternoons like, _'she's out of class, yay!'"_ Cut comments from my left with a snicker that has Ice blinking at him as if something were wrong with _his_ processor. Meanwhile, Cut pointedly glances at Rock's hands tightly holding mine with no intent to let go... Well, until now, that is.

After Rock has a moment to let Cut's insinuation sink in, he releases my hands almost instantly to swivel around and face his brother with a clear look of offense. I can't help but feel a little hollow at Rock's reaction, averting my gaze away without allowing any expression to form on my face. I mean, yeah, I get how it would be embarrassing to be called out on something like that- whether it's true or not- but it still stings to have him act as if liking me is inexcusable and disgusting. Am I really _that_ undesirable...?

"Cut, we're _robots_. Not only do I _not_ like her _like that,_ but it's also impossible for us to like _anyone like that in general,"_ Rock suddenly snaps firmly at his brother, causing Cut to leer back at him with a suspicious look. Cut's eyes flick over to my face for a second, and his expression seems to soften a tad bit more when he seems to understand how I'm suddenly feeling. It's actually kind of creepy how easily Cut gets me, despite other people (even organic people) being unable to at times.

"Oh, really?" Cut grins at me before looking at Rock again and sweeping his arm towards Ice, who seems to be the only one to notice the return of Roll as she descends down the stairs towards us. Needless to say, the Eskimo phylbot looks quite enamored just looking at her as she walks on over. "'Cause I beg to differ."

...

The results of such events ends up earning both Cut and Rock a visit to the operating table after Rock manages to get into an all-out tussle with the only robot master worthy of deserving the title as, _"Troll_ -bot".

* * *

 **(After the "Operations")**

"... Nine... TEN! Ready or not, here I come!" I announce to what seems to be an empty household, save for the basement- Light Labs- where I can hear Grandpa Light playing some music while he works.

I grin to myself mischievously, giggling darkly and scanning the stairs that lead to a few rooms along a short hall.

"By the way, if I find _all_ of you in ten minutes- you get to be my slaves for the rest of the night!" I add cheerfully as an incentive to get at least one reaction that'd give away the location of my first victim.

I hear a squeak from the living room area downstairs, making me turn my gaze to look down over the railing. The noise is small, almost barely noticeable, however with my hide-and-seek skills, there is honestly no escape for my victims in the house.

Ever so quietly and ninja-like, I tip-toe down the stairs and begin walking around the most concealed areas of the living room. I almost start to worry that I'm losing my hunters' touch when I can't find anyone, but just as I'm about to give up on that area for now, I take a seat on the couch to reflect on what I'd heard and if it actually came from the kitchen rather than the living room. No one should be hiding in the kitchen though, we agreed to keep it in the rooms and living room only, so...

I hear a sharp intake of air just beneath the seat of the couch I'm sitting on, making me frown in confusion and blink before shifting and hearing another small noise.

... _Did I just hear what I_ think _I heard?!_

I get on my knees and look at the couch, reaching down to the side and flipping open the footrest.

"Gah! Dang it!" Ice's voice exclaims, making me snicker and lean over the edge to look at my Eskimo phylbot in his creative hiding place while upside down.

"I can honestly say I'm impressed that you managed to fit under there," I say with a giggle, watching the newbuilt crawl out with a smile of embarrassment.

"I should have been more quiet, I practically gave away my hiding spot!" He states in embarrassment, standing while I kick the footrest of the couch closed.

"Yeah, you should work on that, but for now..." I sneak a mischievous look around and lean in to whisper in Ice's ear. "Care to give me a hint on anyone's location?"

"..." Ice's eyes shifts to either side playfully, mimicking my sneakiness as he leans towards my ear to whisper, "I spy with my little eye... Someone outside up high."

I take a moment to think about his words before nodding to myself and giving Ice one last smirk. "I look forward to a future massage, my little Eskimo friend," I remind the phylbot, who seems to recall the bet now that I mention it.

"OH! Uh... You know, I'm _really_ tired. I think I'm gonna go offline for the rest of the night- but I'm sure we can do the massage some other time!" Ice babbles with a look of restrained panic, my smirk only widening more when he squirms under my dark gaze.

"Okay. But just so you know, I won't forget that you owe me," I throw out carefully and deliberately, causing him to nod nervously before raising a hand to wave at me.

"O-Okie dokie! Goodnight, Phyllis!" He stutters, making me reply with a sing-song, "Don't let the bed bugs _bite_ , Ice Man...~"

Needless to say, he scrambles towards the basement stairway rather quickly after he turns to see me offer him a wink.

 _Okay, so Ice said outside somewhere up high... Maybe on the roof or in a tree in the front yard? Hmm..._

 _..._

 _I'm too lazy to check outside right now- I'll just check the rest of the house first and leave the outdoors for last,_ I decide, making my way towards the second floor stairway quietly so I can check out the rooms.

I'm just about to reach for the door knob of the first room when the door swings open all of a sudden, leaving me standing there in surprise with my hand stuck in midair as I blink in confusion at the figure on the other side.

Roll squeaks in surprise and flinches back a step before realizing it's me. She whines a little and stamps her foot lightly against the floor in defeat when I offer her an amused Cheshire grin.

"Drat! I _knew_ I should have just stayed where I was!" The blonde robot complains before releasing a noise of objection. "When I heard Ice suggesting you check outside, I thought you'd actually go _there_ first- Not come upstairs!"

"Yeah, I'm good, aren't I?" I chuckle in delight before leering at her with the same dark smirk I'd given Ice prior.

Roll doesn't even try to conceal her displeasure of giving me a massage (Like, wow, they aren't _that_ bad to give). Inching around me as my irises follow her every movement.

"Er... I'm with Ice on this one- I'm feeling rather exhausted too!"

"Mm- _hmm,"_ I hum with a knowing grin as she slips past me to descend down to the lab.

"Goodnight, Doctor Phyllis!" She says cheerfully despite being caught in the game.

"Night," I call, walking towards the second room and pushing the door open cautiously, just in case someone _else_ is about to open a door and walk out. I want to _find_ them, not smack them in the face with the door.

Knowing Rock, I knew he'd try to play things safe- so it's a sure bet that he's hiding in one of the rooms. If anybody is outside "up high", it would be Cut Man. He's much more reckless than the rest of us, that's for sure.

First, I check the usual places- under the bed, in the closet, and around the bathroom. When I can't find a hair nor hide of Rock in the obvious locations, I begin to check more advanced hiding places, such as in the cabinets, hamper, on top of the dresser... etc.

"Oh where, oh where are you hiding, you handsome devil..." I say out loud, giggling as I continue to search.

Once I feel like he isn't in the room, I hum in thought. Perhaps he's in the next room? Unless the little robot got bold, then I'll probably go outside to continue my search. Besides, the kitchen is off limits as a playground. There is literally no other place he can be hiding!

Just in case, I take a few steps out of the room and shut the door casually with a _'click'_ , pressing my ear against the door to see if I can hear him move.

To my utmost enthusiasm, I hear a drawer open. I hold in a snicker of surprised excitement from escaping me, my ultimate goal being to catch him _and_ scare him a little in the process.

 _Ahh, so he was hiding inside one of the dresser drawers, eh? Smart move, but not smart enough!_

I reach for the door handle with a devilish grin of victory playing at my lips... But rather than swing open before me, I hear the door to the third room open and creak, causing me to push off from the second door to regard the now accessible third room. I blink in confusion as it opens wide, slowing down just as it gently makes contact with the wall behind it.

My face twists in slight confusion.

 _Huh? I could have sworn the drawer noise came from second room... Oh well, we all make mistakes, I guess._

I hop on over to door number three and step in halfway to peer inside. At first glance, it's just a room with a bed, a night stand to its right, and a tall dresser to the far left.

Behind the dresser, I can see a bit of a dark figure moving, causing me to grin and tiptoe to it.

Imagine my shock when the door suddenly slams shut loudly behind me, with an echo that could wake even the neighbors up. I spin around with a startled flinch, only turning again when I remember the shadow behind the dresser. Are the robots playing a prank on me?

Maybe it's Cut's style, but Rock, Roll, and Ice don't seem like the types to do it- Roll the _least_ likely.

The shadow is no longer behind the dresser when I turn to look at it, garnering my expression to become bemused as I whirl around to focus on the door and grab the handle so I can open it up again.

Shockingly, the knob refuses to turn in my hand- which is strange because I know for a _fact_ that none of the bedroom doors can be locked in Grandpa Light's house. I pull harder, even using the weight of my body to try and get it to open, but the door refuses to budge even an _inch._

 _I don't wanna sound like a baby and call out for help... Besides, the door is probably just stuck. Maybe I can jump out the window and climb down the fenced vines along the side of the house?_

I face the room again, only to see a shadow on the ground resembling an unnatural thin, elongated hand reaching out to me. My eyes widen twice their usual size when it grabs hold of my right ankle before I can process it completely. At the tight vice grip biting around my ankle, I let out a sharp yelp of pain.

My leg is forcibly yanked forward, sending my upper half falling backwards. I almost think I'm going to hit my head on the doorknob or the door itself, but the pull has me missing it so that I'm staring up at the ceiling and the aforementioned door with the breath knocked out of me.

Maybe only milliseconds after I hit the ground, I hear the loudest noise in the universe originating from above me, almost like the sound of something brutally piercing the door with a vengeance. The bang ends as fast as it comes, but I'm still too shaken by the events to move- shaken in the sense that I really have _no idea_ what happened at all.

Something falls on my chest lightly, making me jerk in surprise and properly sit up to assess the situation nervously. Rolling off my chest and into my lap is a dirty, old baseball, one that looks so worn that I'm surprised _anyone_ is using it- much less using it at an ungodly hour like this.

I can hear running from downstairs, but I ignore it in favor of looking down under the bed and around the room of the source of the... Thing that had grabbed my ankle and had pulled me down.

 _Besides that, what was that noise anyways?!_

It's then that I notice the broken window ahead of me, a window looking into the front yard which now has a shattered and gaping hole smack in the middle of it. I look back at the door, standing up off from my crawling position to see a matching indent in the door's creamy surface, which has caused it to warp in on itself and splinter in areas around the spot where the baseball had made its impact.

 _Baseballs can't be_ that _powerful can they? Even if hit by the strongest player?_

I can't help but notice, while the door swung open, that the indent just happens to be in the spot my head had previously lined with. As in that baseball would have made contact with my face had I not been yanked by whatever had pulled my leg.

To be honest, I'm not sure what's worse- the fact that I'd almost gotten some major face modifications, or that something unidentifiable had grabbed me.

...Okay, I think the unidentifiable thing was worse.

"Phyllis! Are you- Oh my..." Grandpa Light asks immediately, running up to me and pulling me into a hug until he notices the broken window behind me. His stressed gaze returns to my face, hands cupping my cheeks so that I'm looking at him directly. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I'm fine, don't worry. It missed," I say, not delving into the fact that it had _narrowly_ missed, to be exact. I don't want to scare him more than necessary, so I say nothing about what transpired- including nearly getting decapitated by a baseball and being pulled to the ground by an eerie black figure.

"I saw it coming from the roof, but I thought it was a bird or something! I didn't think it would fly straight into the window- much less..." Cut trails off when I pull away from Grandpa Light to present the dirty baseball in my hand. Rock, on our other side, takes it from me with look of disapproval towards the item, showing it to Cut and making the scissor-head visibly snarl incredulously. "A _baseball?_ Who the _heck_ plays baseball at this time of the night?!"

"Clearly someone that wants to get punched in the face," I decide to add in sharply, making Grandpa Light sigh in relief and hug me again. "Grandpa, I love you and all, but it was nowhere _near_ hitting me! I was looking under the bed for Rock when it came in, I'm _fine!"_ I lie with a small laugh, despite not squirming away from his hug.

Because honestly, after what happened and what I'm not telling them, I actually really need it.

After he releases me, we pick up the remnants of the broken glass and patch the window over from the inside with a black plastic bag just to keep bugs and whatnot from coming inside the room. After all, this is the guest room, and it's where I'll be sleeping.

...Not comforting to know I will be sleeping in the same room where I'd seen something unnatural residing...

"Hey... Where'd Roll go?" Cut asks, finally noticing the lack of help from one of the robots not present.

"Oh, she went offline to avoid giving me a back massage after she learned I was going to enslave all of you for the rest of the night while you were online. Ice too, I found him first," I let Cut know, discreetly looking around the room for that shadow from before without letting the rest of those present know I was on the hunt for it.

"Oh. Well, looks like we won't have to anymore since you didn't get to find Rock and I," Cut says with a grin, throwing a tied black bag of glass and trash over his shoulder. I pout but say nothing when he turns to look at Grandpa Light. "Alright, Doc. I'll be throwing this out and then retiring to the lab."

"Alright, thank you for helping, Cut," Grandpa Light says, just as Rock walks over towards me with a broom at hand.

"I think I'm gonna go offline too, I'm kind of tired as well. I'm sure we'll have time to hang out tomorrow though, right?" Rock inquires, making me grin brightly and nod at him.

"Sure! I'll be leaving tomorrow evening, so we've got time. No worries!" I assure the brown haired 'bot, making him smile and look at Grandpa Light as well. "See you tomorrow, Doctor Light."

"Goodnight, Rock," Grandpa Light replies kindly, eyes narrowing slightly in excitement like he couldn't _wait_ for Rock and Cut to go offline.

 _Wow, he really wanted to build this special robot badly! I feel a little guilty for making him wait earlier..._

Ten minutes after Rock and Cut have gone offline, Grandpa Light and I make our way down to Light Labs after them. As promised, they are all offline in their pods when we arrive to take over the lab with our secret plans.

"Soo... What's so special about this robot we're going to build?" I ask curiously, following him to the back of the lab where there is a collapsible wall that flips down into an extra operating table. It's the same place where I'd kept Roll's body hidden while I was working on her and everything- so I guess Grandpa's using it for the same reason as me- to keep it hidden from everyone.

"Something revolutionary, my dear," Grandpa Light comments with a grin, stopping by the wall and reaching up to pull it down to our level. Upon seeing the large frame of the robot strapped securely to the surface, I can't help but gape.

It's about proportional to a human's natural size, nothing too small and nothing too bulky, like Rock, Roll, or larger robots that resemble the sizes of gorillas with their bulk. Maybe slightly taller than us actually now that I observe it more, as this robot seems to have a height nearly marking past the six foot point.

The robot is just an unfinished metal endoskeleton at this point, but just looking at what's currently there has me astonished. Everything about this robot is extremely complex to my young eyes, _way_ past my level of expertise. I can build a robot master without needing to always refer to a blue print now, I can even improve on previous designs- but this is just mind wrangling wires, beams and connections!

"Phyllis, I thought you might like to help me program him and design his exterior for me. You did wonderful jobs with Roll, Cut Man, and Ice Man- I think you'd be able to design this robot very nicely," Grandpa Light explains to me from across the table while I studiously take in all of this robot's internal designs from what I can see.

"What is his name?" I ask, just as Grandpa Light pushes the blue prints of this new robot towards me. The complexities continue on the sheets, but I just look on the brighter side of things and start acquainting myself with what's familiar first.

I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I'm smart. I can learn all this- and I know Grandpa Light will help me learn it too. I'm not alone in this, soon enough, I'll be able to make a complex robot like this too- and by all by myself!"

"Well, he doesn't have a name yet..."

I look up from the blue prints after reading the title of it.

"Yes he does," I reply, turning the blue print over and pointing at the end of the title of the project. "You've called this 'Project X'. Therefore, his name should be X."

Grandpa Light stares at me for a moment blankly before smiling warmly, his eyes flashing with that look of pride that makes my heart swell in happiness.

"X it is then."

* * *

 **(early Morning - After an All-Nighter)**

I stumble up the stairs with sore hands and aching muscles, hobbling over to the guest room with Grandpa Light until I reach the doorway to the guest room and freeze at the doorway when my legs suddenly become jelly, making it impossible to continue forward.

Grandpa Light, who I know will tuck me in regardless of my age, sleepily looks down at me with clear concern. "What's wrong, Phyllis? Are you okay?" He asks curiously, making me stare at the door silently as I contemplate how to tackle the situation.

I don't want to enter that room again. I don't want to go home either though- not after promising Rock I'd spend time with them later today.

But more so than that, _I don't want to enter that room again._

"I... I hate to sound childish, but could I sleep with you tonight? I'm scared to sleep alone after what happened earlier..." I admit, which isn't a lie- As I only leave the exact reasons out of my explanation.

Grandpa Light sighs but gives me a smile and leads me to his room, which has one big bed that we can both fit on, despite him being a larger sized man. The situation almost reminds me of the times when I was a little younger, sleeping in my parents bed when I was too scared to sleep by myself in my room... Which is funny since I practically begged my parents to let me have my own room so I wouldn't have to share with Pate.

A change into our pajamas and we both fall asleep faster than one could count to three.

I dream of lights that night.

* * *

 **Hope you readers liked it! :D**


	4. P 1 - Ch 4: You Can't Tell Anyone

**Part 1 - Ch. 4: You Can't Tell Anyone**

 **(1 Month Later)**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

"...Hello, is this Aiden Reynolds's office?... Yes, I was wondering if I could speak to Doctor Reynolds in regards of my daughter, she's a patient of his," I hear my mom talking on the comm. device downstairs. Her voice is thick as if she is stressed out and I can hear her heels clicking against the wood flooring of the living room as she paces around restlessly.

Currently, I'm upstairs in my bedroom staring up at the ceiling with only one earbud in my right ear so that I can listen in on whatever Mom is telling the doctor. Sometimes, she tends to exaggerate a little in order to skip on schedules and just have walk-in sessions. Mom has a way with her words- I'm just shocked that the doctor actually keeps _listening_ to her. You'd think he'd have learned his lesson after the third time.

It's a school day today, but with what's going on lately, both Mom and Dad insisted that I stay home and skip school to see the doctor instead. Honestly though, the only kind doctors I want to visit are the doctors that construct and program robots.

I don't mind visiting medical doctors or anything, but let's face it, nobody goes to see their doctor saying, "Oh boy! This check up will be _great!_ I'm only having gastric pains and kidney stones!"

"...Doctor Reynolds? Hi! This is Kimberly Light- I was wondering if I could bring Phyllis in for a check-up. I know it's out of the blue and I do this all the time, but I don't think we have time to wait for a scheduled meeting- We feel like it may be an emergency. She's been behaving strangely and... How strangely? Well... For example, the day before yesterday, we found her asleep on the kitchen stove with a bleeding nose. On another occasion, we've caught her organizing things erratically around the house- and I don't understand her compulsion to always do it, considering she isn't diagnosed with OCD. Also... Her Physical ED professor called to let us know she was hording uncanny amounts of vitamins in her locker."

I make a sour face at the ceiling.

In regards of falling asleep on the stove... I really have no clue how I'd gotten out of my room and to the kitchen in the first place. I was pretty surprised when Dad found me there that morning and proceeded to shout at me for sleeping on such a dangerous appliance... That is, until my nose cut him off when it started to bleed, which is becoming an oddly frequent thing now for some reason.

Strangely enough, I don't remember any instance when I was erratically organizing something, but if Mom is telling the doctor that, then it must have happened, I guess. She has no reason to lie to a person that needs the exact facts to figure out my problem.

Lastly, I think she's overreacting to my recent health fad obsession. Most parents would be grateful if their children were trying to be healthy! I just decided I should be eating healthier and exercising more, so I've committed to a schedule for myself after doing some extensive research. Literally no big deal!

I roll my eyes with a small shake of my head. _Honestly..._ leave it to _Mom_ to freak out over something positive.

"...I just don't know how to get her back to normal, she's being rebellious and won't listen to us. She's going out a lot- and she never tells us where when we try and ask."

... It's been days since I last saw the robots and my grandfathers. I guess it's mostly my fault though, since I've been kind of/sort of avoiding them for the past week. When my parents and brothers decided to label my behavior as "strange", I didn't really know how to deal with the idea of the others finding out. I don't want to visit and have them and my grandfathers think I'm going insane or something if I start acting abnormal out of nowhere.

Actually... Come to think of it, my grandfathers have probably called to ask why I haven't been visiting after school.

I feel my chest cinch up as if being constricted by a rope, my face falling with despondence as I think of how the robots feel without me around. Do they think I've gotten tired of them? I hope not... I just can't bear for them to see me like I am now- with all these weird things happening to me.

If anything, they've probably heard about it already though. No way would my parents _not_ tell them what's going on.

I'm shaken from my thoughts by a soft tapping on my window, which has me turning my head towards the sound curiously.

* * *

 **(? Later)**

I'm staring at a street lamp.

...

...?

Why am I staring at a street lamp?

I blink slowly at the artsy brown park lamp that lights up the dark foggy air with a dim lavender glow, drawing in a couple of moths that are flying at the glass around the bulb to get to the darkness behind it.

It takes me a few moments of staring at the lamp before I actually manage to peel my gaze off of it, looking down only to realize I'm standing outside for some reason. I take a second to feel the grass slip between my wriggling toes like floss as I snap myself out of my daze and finally let the situation sink in. Adding in the fact that it's dark and foggy, I begin to panic a bit, but find my bravery after a moment when I notice the familiarity of the place I'm at. It's a park, yeah, but the layout is familiar despite it's otherwise unnerving nighttime appearance.

Something seems wrong about the park right now and I can't put my finger on it... Is it the fact that it's somewhat foggy? Well, at least I can make out some of the area...

It isn't until I notice an engraved metal plate on the grass in front of the lamp that my answer to the name of this park is answered.

This is Titanium Park, a park just a couple of blocks away from the Diamond Tail Shopping District. From the park to home though, it would take a really long time to get back- not to mention that it's dangerous for a girl my age to walk such a long distance at night, even with my self defense knowledge. if I want to get somewhere safe, I'll have to head for the closest place from the park, which is one of the last places I want to visit at the moment... Grandpa Wily's house. And by saying one of the 'last places I want to visit' I don't mean much ill will. I'm just certain that no one wants to see Phyllis Wily-Light going bonkers, much less the robots we created- depending on whether they're at Grandpa Wily's lab and not at Light Labs. Sometimes we have to switch labs since my grandfathers have special equipment installed into each home, which means that if we ever need to do something specific and heavy machine detailed, we have to switch labs if one lab doesn't have what the other lab does.

I frown and stomp my foot furiously in frustration and confusion when I remember my current situation. Never mind that I have to walk to Grandpa Wily's house- I'm in the middle of a park! At _night!_ By myself! What am I doing here?!

 _I could have flippin' sworn I was in my room staring at the ceiling and dreading a visit to the doctors' office for a check-up! I swear it was broad daylight- sun had just come up and_ everything! _How is it dark and how did I get all the way out here?!_

I make a pathetic, annoying whine of distress, struggling to figure out what's going on. First sleeping on the stove and the bloody noses, now getting angry for no reason and even _more_ sleepwalking... And I have _no idea_ what I've been doing the rest of the day!

It was around nine AM when Mom was talking on the phone with Doctor Reynolds. If it's only turned dark recently, I would have been out here a minimum of at least... Ten hours. That's ten hours of my day I am missing and don't remember.

I touch my head warily, feeling my eyes begin to well up with tears all of a sudden. This seems like a good place to let loose a few- no one is around to see my moment of weakness.

 _Is there something wrong with my head? Do I have a tumor or brain cancer? Am I becoming schizophrenic? What about dementia or Alzheimer's? Can someone my age get Alzheimer's, or is that for only older people?_

I growl under my breath and swat a hand over my face to rid myself of the tears, taking a deep breath while I attempt to return to my normal state of mind to figure out what I'm supposed to do in my situation. I can cry more later if I'm still feeling sorry for myself then... For now, I need to be tough and on alert.

 _Maybe this is another weird dream like last time?_

I sniffle and wrinkle my nose at the fog and purple hues of the night, which paint the park an ethereal violet color. It actually _is_ a lot like that dream I had a while back...

Hopeful for that to be true, I pinch my arm, mildly shocked to feel the sharp pain that follows.

 _Okay, so this isn't a dream. Oh joy..._

I've never been afraid of the dark before, but the strange feeling of eyes on the back of my head has me cowering closer towards the lamp and glancing around the park area vigilantly.

Eventually, my eyes lock onto something in the distance a couple kilometers away. In an instant, I fall onto my bottom and crab walk backwards into the lamp post- which I hit my head against with a loud bonk. I wince and touch the back of my head with a hand, but keep my eyes glued on the figure a good distance away from me.

I'm spooked for a very good reason, as the figure is just standing there staring at me unblinkingly. It almost looks like a person...

And it's that "almost" in my mental assessment that sends uncomfortable chills running down my spine.

From where I sit, I can see that it's tall and lanky, the thin arms at its sides much too long to be normal in proportion to a regular human's body. It has its torso and shoulders hunched forward, giving it a look that makes it appear like it's ready to sprint towards me at any given moment. The last detail does nothing to instill tranquility in me, as the being stares me dead in the eye with two white pin-pricks of irises (at least I think they are irises) peering back at me unnaturally.

 _It's probably the light and his position that's making him look creepy... That's probably some weirdo from the neighborhood or something,_ I try to falsely convince myself. It works a little, to be honest, and I begin to relax a tad bit. The staring is definitely still unnerving though, and as I lift my eyes back to stare at the being's white pupils, I'm thrust back into unease immediately.

...

I squirm under the stranger's gaze, my own eyes never straying from him or her. I can't bring myself to stand up again and start heading for Grandpa Wily's house. Something is just very _off_ about that person there. I fear for what it might do if I dare to look away.

 _Gah, I need to blink! My eyes are feeling dry- I know I could technically keep them open longer if I don't think about it, but...!_

Try as I might, I can't hold my eyelids back forever. My eyes close for less than a quarter of a second.

When they open back up again, I jolt in my spot and painfully bite my tongue in the midst of my shock.

The stranger has undeniably moved closer towards me, and I wouldn't have noticed this if I hadn't been studying it carefully. I scramble up onto my feet and begin to walk backwards slowly, eyes narrowed on the "stranger" to make sure they don't try getting closer, however, this leaves my back open and vulnerable to an attack from the other side if this... _thing_ isn't alone.

 _What if there's someone behind me too? I have to turn around- I have to_ run.

I stop and stare at it for a few more moments, up until I suddenly spin around and take off like a silver bullet across Titanium Park towards Grandpa Wily's home. I don't bother to look back and see if it's following- I basically take off and continue on without stopping for anything...

My breathing is ragged and my chest rises and falls rapidly by the time I reach Grandpa Wily's house, hammering both my fists on the door wildly and looking back to see if _it's_ there, breathing down my neck and staring at me with those white pinprick eyes.

 _Please be home- anyone! I could care less if the robots are here now, please just OPEN THE DOOR!_

 _BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG-_ "-Ow, OW, _OW!_ What the heck?!" I hear a voice snap from the doorway of Grandpa Wily's house, making me turn my head to see that my relentless pounding of fists on the door has suddenly turned into a relentless pounding of fists on a female robot's head.

I halt my movements instantly when she speaks and dive into the house, slamming the door shut behind me and taking the initiative to lock all three security latches on the door before sitting down on the floor to catch my breath.

 _"Phyllis?_ What are you doing here?!" Roll asks in what sounds like both relief and disbelief. In a snap, her voice goes sharp and when I look up at her, she has her hands on her hips and a scowl on her face. "What's going on? _Everyone_ has been out looking for you since you suddenly vanished this morning! We've been worried si-!"

"Is it gone? Can you check the window to the front? _Please?"_ I suddenly cut her off, my eyes frantic and my heavy breathing still uneven.

She stumbles over her words, eyes widening slightly before she moves towards the window and pushes the blinds a little to peek outside. After a moment of silence, she turns to look at me again and releases the part of the blinds she'd pushed open. "I don't see anyone out there. Are you alright? Why are you out of breath?" She asks, her voice hushed in concern and confusion as I sit against the door with shaking hands and a thin layer of sweat coating my entire body.

I sit there for a solid minute or two, just thinking about what I'd seen in Titanium Park and trying to keep my emotions on check.

 _...What was that though? It... It almost looked like that shadow I saw behind the dresser while playing hide and seek at Grandpa Light's with the robots a few months ago._

I feel my lip tremble slightly at the memory of when it had gotten closer. The memory of the thing just staring at me... What was it? And why did it make me feel so terrible and scared?

My moment of weakness slips out again and I slap a hand over my mouth when a whimper escapes me. In less than seconds, Roll is on the floor with her arms wrapped around me tightly in a comforting hug, allowing me to break down as my walls collapse under the pressure of tears that spill from my eyes.

"I... I saw something and it was..." I trail off when my voice cracks mid sentence and tears start to fall from my cheeks. "I don't know what it was! It was just unnatural and it tried to...!"

"Unnatural...?" Roll asks gently, blue eyes studying my magenta irises carefully as I speak.

I nod slightly, sniffing up any snot that is trying to escape from my nostrils. "Also... I can't remember _anything_ since the morning when... When my mom was on the phone making plans with my doctor for a check-up. Everything from around nine AM to maybe ten minutes ago when I woke up at the park, I don't remember..." I admit, rushing to wipe away all my tears in case anyone else suddenly comes back to Grandpa Wily's house unexpectedly.

From the way Roll has described it and how no one has come out to the living room to see who was blubbering so loudly, It's obvious that everyone else is out searching for me like Roll explained earlier. It's quiet other than when Roll and I speak, me trying to convey everything I _could_ remember on what had happened- which isn't a lot.

"So there was a tapping on the window of your room and when you looked, you blanked out and found yourself staring at a lamp post in Titanium Park..." Roll repeats once I relay the entire story to her. "Where you saw a strange person trying to approach you- hence the reason you arrived out of breath."

I nod again, my grasp on my emotions back now that I've been in Roll's presence for a little while. I'm a little surprised she hasn't immediately gone to call up my grandfathers and the others, but I have a feeling that she believes my safety comes first before everything else.

"Okay, well first we should call Doctor Light and let everyone know you're okay. Then we can call the police and make a report on the strange person you saw. Did you get a good look at their face?" Roll inquires, walking towards the large computer screen in front of the living room.

All of a sudden, I feel regret immediately flood my thinking process at an alarming rate. Roll is going to tell _everyone_. She's going to let them know what I saw in the park and that I have no record of what happened the entire day. Rock is going to know, my grandfathers, my parents, my brothers and the other robots...!

 _I need to stop her! I don't want them to know what happened, it's... I just can't deal with that!_

"Roll?" I call, causing her to pause and look at me with a hum before she can press the button on the screen which also serves as a communicator. It's one similar to the computer in the living room of Grandpa Light's house, a giant screen set on the wall of the staircase with a wireless keyboard that Roll currently holds in one hand. "I... I don't think I really saw anyone out in Titanium Park."

Roll blinks at me in confusion. "But you said-" She began.

"I think there's something wrong with my head. I mean, think about it... I don't recall anything from today, and other than arriving here out of breath, I'm perfectly fine. I think I just need to see a doctor," I lie somberly, causing her to put a hand over her mouth as her brows crease with worry. Hopefully she takes the bait and decides to spare me of the humiliation from everyone else.

"I really hope that's not the case..." She says sadly, just before moving to push the button to turn the computer on. Surprisingly, she pauses again and then glances over at me once more.

"Would... Would it make you feel better if I didn't say anything about what you saw? Just that you don't remember what happened today and that you feel ill in the head?" She asks me kindly.

I nod in relief and smile, feeling like a weight is lifted from my shoulders. "That would be much appreciated," I reply, causing her to look at the screen of the computer and bite her lip.

 _Thank goodness..._

"...I won't tell them as long as you promise to visit the doctor and tell him in private. If something is wrong, we don't want it to go from bad to worse. Do I have your word?" Roll queries, looking back at me expectantly.

"I promise," I lie again, swallowing down my anxiety. I can't remember the last time I tried to hide something from my family... And to be honest, the fact that I don't feel guilty about it makes me just a tad bit nauseous.

 _But why am I lying? Am I really not going to tell her that what I had seen was_ solid _and_ not _a figment of my imagination?_

 _..._

 _But what if I tell them and they don't believe me?_

 _..._

 _What if it really_ was _in my head though?_

I take a seat on the couch and rest my head on the armrest silently, staring off towards the hallway that leads to the stairs towards the bedrooms of the house while Roll makes the call to someone. My breathing has calmed somewhat, and all I feel now is the sensation of exhaustion and relief as I bring my legs up towards my chest in an attempt to make myself smaller.

"Yes, Roll? What is it? Did you hear any news on Phyllis?" I hear Grandpa Light ask almost immediately, his voice strained with worry and clear exhaustion.

"Better- she just got here," Roll informs them quickly.

"She did?! Is she alright? Did you ask what happened and where she went? Can I speak to her-" Grandpa Wily's voice cuts in, causing Roll to clear her throat to get him to shut up.

I listen intently for what she will say next, completely anxious despite that she'd given me her word that she wouldn't tell them.

"...I'll explain when you get here with everyone else, okay?" Roll replies firmly, just before I hear my grandfathers release noises of reluctant agreement.

The line of the communicator cuts off and Roll returns her gaze to me with a soft smile.

"Are you hungry? Want me to get you something to eat?" She inquire, to which I shake my head at as my hand drifts down to my stomach. I automatically go for my belly button and finger the area under my shirt. It feels oddly sore... Not to mention my back was _killing me_ for some reason.

Confused, I stand up and take strides to get to the bathroom on the second floor, with Roll following probably to keep an eye on me and make sure I don't vanish again. My steps are deliberate at first, but they begin to slow down and become shorter as I enter the bathroom and flick on a light, inhaling when I take in my appearance. I look _tired._ As if I haven't been sleeping properly- which most likely has a ton to do with my sleepwalking issues.

Of course, my face is not the reason why I decided to visit the bathroom.

I reach down and lift up my shirt from my torso, exposing my pale skin (which is usually a slight vibrant olive color) to the cool air and leaving myself in a black bra as I glance hesitantly down at myself. Roll gasps before I even get a good look at myself, her hands gently touching the skin of my torso as I push my wild hair out of the way and look at what she's staring at.

Along my entire torso, from shoulders to my hips just before they reach my sweatpants are cuts of geometrical designs. Most are just scarred pink tissue that raises slightly, but there are some that look recent- with dry blood still lining the fresh designs of something around my belly button and one under my bra that starts from my waist to part of my lower breast. Now, if it's not strange and scary enough- these damn marks were _not_ there this morning when I'd gotten up to shower and get dressed, only the triangle around my belly button was present.

"Where did you get all these...?" Roll asks, visibly horrified as she looked at my backside and winced. Curious, I turn around to look at my back with the mirror, only to see deeper geometric designs- designs far more complex than those on the front- decorating a visibly sun burnt back. These ones were definitely fresh, proven when Roll touches one cut and blood transfers to her synthetic fingers. The sun burn doesn't hurt, but it looks like it should as I gaze at it.

"I have no idea- but they weren't there this morning. Ask my mom, she saw me get dressed and everything," I murmur, reaching for my shirt and giving the back a look when I see that blood was transferring onto it in the spot that covers my back. Nothing I can really do about it since I'm not at home, but Roll stops me before I can proceed to make myself decent again.

"Let me put ointment on you- we don't know how you got these and they could be infected," she says, her fingers catching the back of my bra and unclasping it easily. Since it seems like she's not going to take no for an answer, I sigh, fold my shirt and bra, and set them aside on the counter. After a minute, I feel her begin to apply the ointment, gently covering all the fresh geometric cuts with a look of worry on her face as she does so.

It's while she has me turn to let her put ointment on my front side that I soon hear the sound of a door opening and steps running up the stairs, making my eyes widen and my arms cross over my chest immediately. With lithe movements, I swing around Roll and slam the door shut with my shoulder just as it opens just an inch. On the other side, I can hear Rock huff with irritation and attempt to force his way in, making me throw my arms out to push the door back against his force.

"Don't come in!" Roll hollers from our side, prompting Rock to retort with, "She's in there, isn't she? Well, why can't I come in?!"

"I'm not decent!" I reply for Roll, sighing in relief when the resistance drops altogether from his side, allowing the door to click shut once again and my hands to lock before he can change his mind. "Give us a minute, please?"

"It better be a _short_ minute, 'cause the rest of us are tired of waiting for you to show up," Rock snaps from the other side, while Roll winces and rubs my arm comfortingly to keep my mood from falling.

Once I hear his footsteps depart from the other side, I return to Roll and allow her to finish applying ointment to the last geometric shapes, just before nodding and pointing to my bra on the counter.

I pull it on gingerly, feeling Roll clasp the back and adjust it before helping me into my shirt as well. I grimace at the nasty feeling of the ointment making my shirt stick to my skin, sulking as I look back at Roll and try gauging her thoughts on my cuts with curious eyes. Unfortunately, Roll has a killer poker face, and she simply reaches past me to unlock the door much to my chagrin. She leaves the bathroom first, leaving me to turn off the light as I slowly follow her out to face my family and the inevitable earful I would get despite already feeling like utter trash.

I glance down at my legs before I show myself to everyone, pulling at the waistband of my pants to peek in.

...There are geometrical cuts down there too.

...

 _I know what I saw,_ I think to myself as I carefully walk after a pausing and inquisitive looking Roll, who eyes my pants and me questioningly. I just bite my lip and nod reluctantly. At least _someone_ knew about them. Of course, this draws the conclusion that whoever or _whatever_ I'd seen in the park... Had most likely been completely real. Roll has no reason _not_ to tell everyone anymore, and her eyes say it all. I just look away and nod again, prompting Roll to reach over and take my hand so she can lead me down stairs to see everyone.

 _...But what if what I saw wasn't the cause of these cuts? ...Stop thinking about it. This isn't healthy, Phyllis,_ I try to tell myself before opening my eyes when I think I hear something in the bathroom behind me. I glance back, but pass the corner of the staircase too quickly to be able to see anything upstairs. _It's probably nothing, right?_

When I avert my gaze back forward to see into the living room, I blink my tired eyes in mild surprise. Everyone was there, save for Peter and my Father. They were probably working... Why else wouldn't they be here after I went missing?

"Are you okay, sis?" Pate asks almost instantly as he sets his eyes on me, stepping forward to grab my hands in his as he stands in front of Roll and I. While I'm distracted by Pate, Roll skirts past us and walks over towards my grandfathers', whispering up to them everything I already don't want them knowing... What could I do though? I couldn't _not_ tell her to tell them. That went against her very program- after all, I would know since I made her.

I resist making a sour face and just bite my lip as an answer, my eyes meeting his blue ones again, which are a much lighter color than Rock's or Roll's. Since I make no move to answer, Pate sighs and pulls me towards the couch, forcing me to sit as he stands in front of me to give me a once-over.

Speaking of the other blue eyed robot though...

Rock plops right down on my other side and shoots me the dirtiest look I've ever gotten from him in my entire life, eyes narrowing when I look over at him and stare unabashedly. I don't even have it in me to return his nasty gaze, choosing to just look down at his crossed arms with interest as Pate suddenly moves back once his probing is done to check my health. Thank goodness he makes no move to pull my shirt up to see my tummy.

"Care to explain what happened?" Rock asks rather authoritatively, drumming his fingers along his arm and sitting cross legged so that he's completely facing me on the couch. His positioning means business- _clearly_ he's been pretty worried if he's acting like this right now.

"R-Rock, don't be so hard on her... I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for everything!" Ice is quick to defend me, stepping up until we notice my Mom move closer towards me. Pate moves aside to let her get through, his face contorting into a look of discomfort.

Our mom was _not_ the most understanding of people... And of all the times she chooses to scold me, it _has_ to be in front of the robots. This is like my worst nightmare coming true...

 _No, your worst nightmare was seeing that_ thing _in Titanium Park._

I tremble at the thought and look up to face the doom that is my angry mother.

"Phyllis, look at me," she demands sharply, far more sharper than Rock has. I obediently raise my head so that I meet her steely gaze. She has her red hair perfectly curled, but even I know that it's because she never went to bed.

She's been up looking for me the entire day, it seems. I can see the beginning of bags forming under her eyes. If Rock and Roll had been worried, my mom had been utterly neurotic like nobody's business.

"Where were you?" She asks harshly, hands on her hips. I drag my eyes towards the two lab aid robots and then back up at my mother slowly. I'm too tired for this...

I break eye contact and bring my knees up to my chest silently, eyes flicking towards my feet as I start feeling the objecting sting of my cuts complain from every inch of my body while I shift to roll into myself protectively.

"That's the thing..." Roll cuts in to my relief, making everyone look at her. "She was in a frenzy when she came in. She said she can't remember anything after the morning during the time you were on the phone with her doctor. She said she found herself standing in Titanium Park."

Mom bends down so that we are at eye level. She doesn't look like she believes what I told Roll- however, the proof of the inexplicable happenings was literally written all over my body. Of course, it's evidently all up to me if I chose to let her in on it or not in the end.

"Is that so?" She says thoughtfully, reaching over to lift my chin up- which I quickly find irritating and reject when I snap my head in a different direction to avoid any contact with her. When she persists and doesn't move her hand away at my clear disdain of her motives, I lift my own hand and viciously swat it away with a slap of my own that is hard enough to echo in the house.

"Phyllis!" I hear Grandpa Wily scold me in shock, as I'm not the one to usually outright rebel at Mom like I'm doing lately. That was Peter's job, not mine.

...

"You know what? I'm sure she's just not feeling up to all this attention! We're smothering her, maybe if we just gave her a moment to breathe she'll be just fine," Ice begins nervously, the sweet robot insistent on proving my innocence.

 _You got that right. Preach it, Ice,_ I think proudly, despite the flat look of expectancy on my face as I narrow my eyes on my mother with a challenging gaze hidden behind my irises.

After a moment, Mom seems to take Ice's words into regard and backs away a little to sit on her heels more comfortably.

"It's two AM, Phyllis. You were missing for seventeen hours... So please don't be angry when we tell you that it's hard to believe that you can't remember _anything_ between this morning and now," Mom retorts after the piercing silence begins to engulf our conversation. With my eyes still narrowed downwards, I find a loose thread on the couch and start to aimlessly tug and curl it around my right index finger, a way to keep myself from snapping back at my mother again.

 _Oh right, how_ completely _selfish of me to be angry. Yeah, it's not like_ you _found yourself in a park with a strange figure. Or can't remember seventeen hours of your day. Or why you're getting so many violent nosebleeds and migraines. Not to mention waking up in odd places all the time and, as an added bonus, having cuts and scars all over your body from out of nowhere. Yeah, I can't_ imagine _how_ you _must feel!_

My expression must say it all when I bring my face up to give her a look, because my mother suddenly growls in frustration and stands up as she drags a hand down her face. The exasperation was real, that's for sure. "I... I can't deal with her right now. Do you think you could...?"

I resist the urge to groan and settle for simply rolling my eyes behind her back. WOW, great parenting skills, Mom. So when you can't handle one of your children, you're supposed to shove them off onto someone else? Okay, I'm noting that one, Mom! The _more_ you know!

"She can stay here, Kim. You know she's always welcome in Thomas' home and my own," Grandpa Wily says with a sympathetic smile towards his daughter-in-law. I don't get why though- she's being a brat and jumping to conclusions without all the pieces to the story. Whatever, she can do whatever she wants in that case... I'm not telling _her_ anything.

"Thank you..." My mom relies with a sigh of relief, reaching over to Pate and grabbing his wrist until he makes a noise of objection. My mom looks back at him with irritation clear on her face. "Come on, Pate, you're not staying too. You have school tomorrow."

"...But Phyllis-!" he tries to beg, looking up at her with baby-doll eyes that _almost_ look to work- until she is dragging him out of the house without another word, leaving my little brother to look back at me with a sad parting wave that I almost don't return out of exhaustion.

As soon as the door shuts behind my departing mother and Pate, Grandpa Light turns to face the robots. "We'd better head home ourselves for now. We can take Phyllis to see the medical doctor in the morning, but right now she needs to get some rest," He says to our robots gently. Out of everyone, Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily are still the only ones that wear looks of unease as our eyes all meet- but I can tell it's because they're aware of the many cuts I have along my body beneath my clothing.

For a slim moment, my own expression mirrors his. I'm just as worried, but make a valiant attempt to hide my expression once more when I notice the way Grandpa Light's eyes slightly widen. If he's seen the look on my face, he either doesn't say anything out of pity or because he doesn't want to scare the other robots.

"Rock, will you stay here with Phyllis for me? You don't mind, do you, Albert?" Grandpa Light asks his most trusted robot and his colleague, eyes flashing with a pleading look of slight desperation.

"Not at all," Grandpa Wily replies, just as Rock follows with, "Don't worry, I'll watch her."

"Whaaat? Why does _Rock_ get to stay with her?! Aw, man, that's not fair..." Cut complains with a pout, only for Roll to take his hand with an eye roll before also snatching Ice's hand.

"Come on, boys. Let's go home," She pipes up, completely oblivious to Ice when his expression goes doe-eyed and dreamy due to contact with her.

Grandpa Light glances back at us as my three Phylbots exit Grandpa Wily's house. "Sleep well, Phyllis..." He murmurs gently, following them out and shutting the door behind himself so that it's only Grandpa Wily, Rock, and I left in the house.

"I'd tell you to get to bed, but knowing you... You'd just ignore me anyways," Grandpa Wily says with a small snicker, a small attempt to bring the mood up a little.

"You know me so well," I agree dimly with a small smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes, ignoring the look Rock suddenly shoot me at the rapid change of my attitude. Considering there's only Pate, Rock, and Grandpa Wily, I sigh and hug my legs tighter. "Did Roll tell you then?" I ask, just in case she _didn't_ say anything. I silently pray that she was silent on the matter, but the nearly imperceptible nod he gives me shatters my thoughts. I avert my gaze to the couch thread again, playing with it when my anxiety returns.

"...Can you show me your back?" Grandpa Wily asks hesitantly, clearly not wanting to force me into doing anything I don't want to do. This puts me at relative ease, and I nod, shifting on the couch to kneel with my back facing them. My fingers shake slightly as I take hold of the lower hem of my shirt and pull it up only halfway for the sake of still containing some of my dignity. It's enough to show the marks along my back though, as I hear the sharp intakes of breaths from the other two present in the living room.

 _...He didn't mention the figure I saw. Did Roll actually stay silent about it?_ I think, fighting the urge to smile a little at the trustworthy blonde Phylbot.

"...Phyllis, who did this to you?" Rock asks brokenly, taking one of my hands once I've lowered my sticky shirt back down properly. At his expression of guilt and unease, I just shrug and look away- pulling my hand out of his and turning back around to see what Wily thought of it.

Grandpa Wily's expression, for a fleeting moment, was that of anger. I'd seen him angry before, but not to the extent I see in his eyes for less than a second. Once I meet his gaze though, he visibly relaxes and his expression becomes somber.

"I see Roll took care of placing medicine on the fresh ones... How are you feeling?" Grandpa Wily asks, putting a hand on my shoulder that makes me flinch when he presses on a particularly raw cut. He retracts his hand and offers me an apologetic grin, stepping back to give me some space.

"I'm fine. Sore, but fine," I lie, watching Rock's eyes narrow on me the second the words leave my lips. Grandpa Wily is thankfully none the wiser.

"Right... Well, there's food for you in the kitchen if you're hungry. And Rock, in the lab I have a box full of 'E' Tanks for the taking if you're feeling low on energy," Grandpa Wily says before starting up the stairs towards his room. "I suggest you sleep stomach down and without your shirt or bra- that way your cuts can heal properly."

I nod and bring my legs back up to my chest as he gives me one last look, smiling and then vanishing behind his bedroom door. As soon as he's gone, I feel Rock shift closer to me, his shoulder brushing against my arm gently enough to make me give him my attention. Rock doesn't meet my eyes, staring down at his feet as he reclines back against the sofas backrest.

"...Sorry I jumped to conclusions and acted like a jerk to you," he says after a moment, his blue eyes jumping back up to mine as he speaks. There's resignation lacing his words, but I also can't help but note that he this strange indeterminable tone as he apologizes. Like he's looking for me to let something slip out.

Rock looks like he's waiting for me to admit that I'm hiding something.

 _How does he know?_ I wonder as I rest my cheek on my knee, only to lift my face back up when a sting of objection travels through my nerves at the contact. Rock quickly glances at my knee and then back at me with hidden suspicion.

"It's alright. It's my fault anyways- I always get myself into trouble. Even when I don't mean to. I'm such an idiot..." I murmur half to him and half to myself, looking away in hopes that I get him to feel guilty enough to quit his prying. Like magic, I can see his suspicion fade out of the corner of my eye as he reaches out and takes my hand again, pulling it up so that I follow and get up on my feet in confusion.

"You look tired. You should go to bed and get some rest. I'll be out here if you need anything, alright? I'm not leaving," he says, resulting in a warm, safe feeling to wrap around me like a shawl. I manage my first honest smile of the night and hold on to him a little longer even when he gently pulls back to take his hand back, resulting in Rock's returned smile to shift into a look of blank slight confusion as he brings his blue eyes up to me. Once I've decided I've held on long enough to gather some bravery to go to bed... By myself... I let go of his hand and watch him apprehensively bring it back to himself, cradling it with his other hand and wearing that familiar look in his eyes that I still haven't been able to place since I first started seeing it when I finished making Ice Man.

 _Why does he keep looking at me like that?_ I wonder that question again, just before relaxing and turning away to head up the stairs. It only happens whenever he looks at me... But despite noting whenever it happens, I still couldn't figure it out. For now though, I need to sleep... I can think about it later on once I've fully rested.

It's only until I reach the top of the stairs, out of Rock's sight that feelings of claustrophobia settle within me. I reach up with clammy hands to touch my throat nervously, which feels as dry as my chapped lips and my ashy elbows. I feel like I'm being boxed in by something invisible, waiting for the walls to close in on me and eventually crush me like glass.

All of a sudden, I have the urge to run down the stairs to tell Rock everything I've told Roll. Risk humiliation if I really am going crazy and seeing things that aren't there. I don't want him to feel bad about what's going on with me anymore, and I know he was likely upset regarding my week long absence from Light Labs.

...I really might be going crazy. What I told Roll, the lie that the figure probably wasn't there... It could very well be true as well. How can I know what is real or not? People that see things that aren't there swear it's completely real looking all the time- how can I be so sure that what I'm seeing isn't _actually_ a hallucination? Schizophrenics can't tell the difference... Maybe I've got Schizophrenia too.

I turn to walk back down the stairs and run to my best friend, my brain already planning out my entire explanation to say something- _anything_ pertaining to the issues I was having at home, what happened in the park, and what I think is going on.

 _He will laugh at you_ , a sick voice makes itself known in the back of my mind, halting my feet in place before I can take the first step down. That's true... He might laugh... But it didn't hurt to mention it, right? I mean... He's my best friend. After seeing those geometric cuts along my back, he wouldn't try and make me feel worse! I trust him... I...

...

I feel my chest ache when I shut my mouth and swallow down my bravery, turning away quickly and walking into the guest room. It hurts not to tell him, it really does... Actually, it hurts not telling _anybody._

 _But wait, you told Roll! It's okay, someone knows and understands!_ I try to console myself before frowning and shaking my head slightly at my naivety.

That's different. My worries were not told- I didn't mention that it _could_ be _real_. I only told her half of the story. It's _not_ the same.

"Phyllis, don't cry," I hear a quiet voice comfort me from the other side of the door, causing my head to whip up from my curled up position. Somehow, without noticing, I'd slid down against the door and am now sitting with my knees pulled up to my chest. Reaching up to touch my face, I come to find tears streaking down my face and off of my cheeks as I sit against the door. This is the third time I've been crying tonight- A record since I don't cry often in general.

Not that I can control it though, everything is really upsetting me right now...

"Sorry," I say from my side of the door, wiping the tears away and standing up when my back begins to ache from contact against the door. "I'm okay, Rock. I'm just thinking..."

"Don't be sorry about anything, Phyllis. None of this is your fault at all, not even a little bit," Rock firmly states from the other side of the door. I nod at his words, even though he can't see it on the other side of the door.

I'm still not tired yet, so I walk over to my window and opened it up to look out at the full moon on display in the night sky. Rock, being the sweetheart he is, begins to speak again, though he seems hesitant to do so as I gravitate over to the door of the room to listen.

"Phyllis, do you... Do you want me to stay in there with yo-?" I immediately cut Rock off by opening the door and grabbing his hand, tugging him into my room without a second thought and shutting the door behind him. Once he's inside, I release his hand and walk back over to the window, kneeling beside the sill and resting my arms over it to lay my head down.

Rock is relatively in shock that I've yanked him into my room, or at least that's what I assume due to his silence and evident lack of movement. After he absorbs what has happened, he walks over to the window and kneels down beside me- joining me in watching the sky aimlessly.

"...The stars are pretty, aren't they," Rock says after a long comfortable silence, staring up at the twinkling white, blue, and yellow dots scattered across the midnight sky.

"Yeah..." I agree, despite that I'm not really looking at them the way he is. I mainly opened the window to get some fresh air and look at the moon, as I think it's far better looking than the dinky stars around it. Of course, that's not to say I don't like stars. Paired with a moonless clear night, stars made a fantastic view.

 _I wonder what it's like up there..._ I think to myself, drifting off on the windowsill to the dim light that reflects off of the moon from the sun.

My eyes eventually begin to wander from the moon...

And that's when I see it.

I try not to look so scared and shocked when my eyes zero in on _it._ The tall figure from the park, which stands by one of the trees at the front yard in plain view for all to see. Unnerving enough, it's staring straight at me again like it'd done before. Did it _actually_ follow me from the park?

"Rock," I say, unable to hide the sharpness of my discomfort as I get his attention. Rock swivels his head around to look at me, concern coating his blue eye even though I'm staring straight at the figure. "Do you see anything down by the tree at the top right end of the driveway from here?"

Rock blinks at my side when I flick my eyes towards him, his own eyes moving towards the location I'd described before he bite his lip and shakes his head as he looks around the aforementioned area. "See anything like what?" He asks tentatively, staring at the area- the _creature-_ in confusion.

 _He can't see it,_ I realize in dismay before looking back at the front yard. I don't jump this time when I notice that it's now standing smack in the middle of the driveway, moving closer just like it had done back at the park. This specific movement is much too noticeable now though, as if it's no longer trying to hide the fact that it's coming closer towards me.

"Never mind, it's nothing," I decide to go with, frowning as I close the window and lock it tightly before drawing the blinds closed on the creature that stares back at me on the other side. No way do I want it looking into my room while I slept... Especially with Rock unable to see it.

"...You're going to bed now, right?" Rock inquires, looking a tad bit uncomfortable as he asks. I look over at him curiously, watching him squirm under my gaze. When my stare persists without another word from me, he continues with a stammering, "Just so... Um, you know... I can close my eyes while you take your sh-shirt... off..."

I blink in slight astonishment, amusement building up in my gut for the first time that night. Rock really has a knack for making me feel better without even trying- what a goof! A smile curls on my lips as I stand up and rest a hand on my night table comfortably. "Why would I be uncomfortable? You're a robot. You don't even have urges like _that,"_ I find myself teasing him playfully, which I can already feel is improving my overall mood and distracting me from thinking about the figure outside. It's not completely out of my mind, but at least pushed to the far back reaches, which is more than I can ask for.

I watch with growing interest as Rock's face begins to flood with a red fluid designed to mimic human blood, causing him to visibly touch his face nervously and away to stare at something on the ground. "No! That's not what I mean... I mean that you might feel... Uh..." He trails off again, taking a few steps back from me while a soft laugh slips past my lips.

"I don't feel embarrassed at all. It's just skin and fat, that's hardly any different than when I was fixing _your_ body up with my grandfathers. If you don't get any urges and I don't feel embarrassed, I don't see anything wrong with-" I say, taking hold of the lower hem of my shirt and starting to pull it up when Rock finally risks a glance back up at me. As soon as he sees part of my exposed belly, his eyes widen like dinner plates. He lets out a boyish yelp and turns away to run to the drawers, pulling one open and jumping in like his life depends on it.

I'm left laughing quietly when he closes himself inside it, the Lightbot falling silent as I finish removing my upper garments and toss them on a nearby chair shamelessly. What can I say? Embarrassed Rock is totally hilarious!

I walk over to the bed and lay over one side stomach down, using a pillow under my chest to hide myself and sleep a little more comfortably. I decide Rock will eventually get out when he's comfortable enough, so I say nothing as I close my eyes and pray for restful sleep midst my problems.

* * *

 **(30 Minutes Later)**

I haven't been able to fall asleep. My exhaustion has worn off as well, and I'm sure it's because I'm not only scared of the creature that now clings to the window of the room, but scared of what will happen _during_ my sleep. What if I start sleepwalking again? Or have another nightmare? Not to mention that sleepwalking would be embarrassing since I'm not wearing a shirt to bed...

I sit up and regard the blinds, moonlight spilling through the tan decorative curtains. I can see the figure of the creature outside casting it's shadow into the room from its location. That's the only indication that tells me it's right outside my window and no longer in the middle of the driveway.

 _It's no use... It may not be real, but I can still see it. Knowing that it's there isn't helping me sleep one bit..._

I grimace and grab my shirt off of the chair once I get on my feet, pulling it on as I walk towards the exit and silently slip out into the hall, shutting the door behind me and fixing my hair. Rock hasn't left the drawers since I'd embarrassed him, so I can't help but huff sourly under my breath- even if it _is_ kind of my fault. So much for staying in the room with me... "Liar..." I mutter, just as I hear the sound of the drawer opening. I can't help but smirk as I push away from the door and start walking away towards the stairs, crossing the corner just as I hear the door open.

"Not sneaking out, are you?" Rock asks with a look once I see him appear behind me on the stairs, narrowing his blue eyes on me.

I return his look. "No, I'm not. I'm going to entertain myself downstairs. Why don't you go lock yourself in the drawers again while I'm down there? I'm sure you're of better use rusting away without me," I grumble, pretending to be more offended than I truly am. Once I get that out, I look away to continue down the stair case and head over to the kitchen.

My legs navigate me towards the pantry immediately, which I begin to raid by sifting through the edible items. I frown upon passing crumbling granola and honey bars, scrunch my nose in distaste when I push aside a box of dried raisins, and cringe in absolute disgust when I shove a bag of oats out of the way. I step back with an incredulous scowl across my features. Uh, what the heck, Gramps?! Why are you storing all these nasty "health" foods? If you're gonna try to eat healthy, well jeez, at least go for the palatable goods!

"What?" I turn to see Rock behind me, looking at the food in the pantry and then at my expression of disgust in confusion. "It's food. Isn't that why you're down here?"

"Um, well, yeah. But I came down here for something edible. This stuff's... _Garbage,"_ I complain, kneeling down to search through the lower shelves. "Humans can't _all_ just dump everything they find to be digestible down their stomachs. Some of us can eat certain foods, or we might get seriously ill or even die-"

Rock's eyes widen and his hands lock around my wrists, forcefully pulling me back from the pantry in horror. I can't help but giggle at the look on his face as I peel his protective hands off of my wrist. "No, it's okay! I'm not finished, that kind of thing only happens to people with allergies. I'm not allergic to any food, I was just going to say that either we can't eat them, or our taste buds reject them. Human's all have different tastes when it comes to food, so some of us might be disgusted by something that another person probably likes," I explain more, watching him take in the information with his curious blue eyes.

"Huh. Is that why Peter can eat cow-tongue tacos and you can't?" He asks, prompting my face to twist in disgust once again.

"YES," I agree, causing the brown haired Lightbot to laugh at my reaction while I return to look through the pantry.

"...! Ah! Here we go. Safe and totally palatable! Spaghetti-U's!" I chirp in delight, grabbing a bowl and spork from a bag of disposable bowls and silver wear (plastic wear?) on the highest-most shelf and shutting the pantry door once I had my things.

One microwave and two minutes later, my pasta is ready and in my hands as I walk down to Grandpa Wily's lab with Rock at my side. He watches me scoop spoonfuls of the pasta into my mouth with interest, before he bites his lip and finally asks whatever he's been wanting to ask since I finished warming my grub up. "Phyllis, why are we going down to Doctor Wily's lab...?"

"Why else, you handsome devil?" I snicker before taking another bite of food, which prompts Rock to blush with a look of annoyance as he suddenly asks, "And why are you always calling me that?"

I blink in surprise, pulling my spoon from my lips to look down at Rock in surprise. "Huh? You mean 'Handsome Devil'? ...Wait, Grandpa Wily and Grandpa Light didn't tell you how you were designed?" I ask in disbelief, eyebrows raised in shock. Wow, and I expected them to have told him, considering how embarrassing it was...! Maybe those two were reliable grandfathers after all!

...But still, I don't forgive them for sending Cut Man to ruin my first date three months ago at the ice skating rink. Ugh, those two were completely against it the moment my mother mentioned it- not to mention that they were successful in chasing away the poor guy I agreed to go out with. I still can't look the guy in the eye to this day...

Rock shakes his head no as I flick on a light and make my way over to a desk without a wince at the cold tile against my bare feet, eyeing him carefully as I contemplate giving out this specific tidbit. I mean, it honestly _was_ embarrassing. I could always just...

I smirk at Rock. "Well then, I guess I'll have to thank my lucky stars! 'Cause I'm not telling you. It's embarrassing- I thought you knew the whole time," I snicker mischievously as I plop down on a chair and push myself to roll towards a table. Rock gasps with clear offense, racing after me.

"Hey! That's not fair, why aren't I allowed to know how I was designed?" Rock complains, stepping up behind me where I have paper and a pencil already set out for myself to get to work. "Don't ignore me, I don't ignore _you."_

"I'm not ignoring you, Rock, I'm just not telling you how you were designed. If you wanna know so badly, ask Grandpa Light tomorrow. I'm sure he'll tell you- he probably forgot to or something... I just don't wanna be around when you hear it, 'cause you'll laugh and make fun of me," I say defiantly, looking away in embarrassment despite not even telling him a little bit about it.

Rock seems to find his way in to get what he wants, and he spins my chair around to face him. "I promise I won't laugh! I'm sure it's not as embarrassing as you think- maybe it won't even be embarrassing at all!" He tries to coax the information out of me, giving me a patient smile and leaning down so he's at eye level with my seated position.

"...Well... Alright then. But if you laugh, you can kiss your giblets goodbye!" I snap, glaring at him sharply. Rock nods in understanding and takes a step back to give me room, obviously aware that I needed a little space to breathe in order to tell him my secret.

I bite my lip, setting my food behind me on the table and proceeding to play with my hands while I spoke. "So basically... When I was really little- I'm talking munchkin status, barely up to your hips- I would draw my, er, _imaginary friends-"_ Rock lets a giggle slip out, prompting my eyes to shoot up at him in warning. Of course, he already has his own hands held up defensively.

"No, wait, I just think it's cute!" He says quickly, and I relax in my seat again with my fingers playing with the hem of my shirt.

"Anyways... I had a specific imaginary friend that I would draw all the time. I can't really recall his name or anything- I think it was Mega or something wacky and apparently 'badass' to my immature munchkin brain," I explain with a brooding grumble. Oh, I knew his name was definitely Mega- I just didn't want Rock to know that I remembered every last detail about my imaginary friend. It was embarrassing enough that I was talking about Mega to Rock himself. "Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily always asked me about him, but I all I would do was show them his picture and tell them that he was my..." I choke a little on the end, feeling blood race up to my cheeks. "M-my..."

Rock's lips are already curling up in a small awkward grin, like he already knows where this is going. Just seeing his smile makes my face get even hotter, embarrassment flooding my systems like nobody's business.

"Stop smiling at me like that!" I bark, my voice cracking and coming out like a half whimper instead of a strong threat.

"'Boyfriend'. You would tell them that he was your 'boyfriend'... Right?" Rock says more than asks, prompting me to shove my face in my hands as he absorbs the information in his own little way. I'm waiting for him to crack up and burst out laughing, but after a good five minutes, nothing escapes him and I force myself to look up. Surprisingly enough, he has his gaze trained elsewhere, his own face turning red much like mine was. Oh, so _he_ was embarrassed about it!

Rock looks at me again, scratching the back of his head thoughtfully as he valiantly meets my gaze.

"And my design was based off of your drawing of Mega, right?" He continues, to which I nod at before a nervous giggle escapes me.

"I... I honestly thought my grandfathers would tell you off the bat. I'm surprised they didn't tell you- they _love_ embarrassing me, if you don't remember," I state, turning around in my seat quickly to eat some more of my slowly cooling Spaghetti-U's.

"Well... I'm honored to have been your first boyfriend~" He suddenly comments teasingly from directly behind me, nearly making me choke on my pasta when I involuntarily inhale midst my chewing. I feel him gently pat my back as I cough and swallow the food in my mouth, before coughing some more and then turning my glare on him. He just gives me a cheeky grin. "Sorry, couldn't help myself. It's just too cute to think that your grandfathers modeled me after your imaginary childhood boyfriend."

The way he says it... I duck my head to the clipboard I've pulled on my lap, pretending he didn't say anything.

Grandpa Wily's lab isn't as big as Light Labs, but it's definitely not as small as my dad's basement man-cave. There's enough room to work on robots if I feel like doing so- but for now I'm planning on just drawing out some ideas for another robot design of my own. Perhaps one to keep X company once he's finished?

Then again, will I even be able to draw out blueprints as sophisticated as Grandpa Light's so called "android" design? The classic robots, Lightbots and my Phylbots were simple enough for me, but...

 _I just want to keep my mind off of everything. Anything will do, just draw out the schematics blindly and work from there. This is just like a school essay- make a rough draft and then continue to fine tune it later on. You got this, Doctor Phyllis! Just "Roll" with it!_

I giggle under my breath at the use of Roll's nickname for me and pull my feet up on the chair to rest the clipboard against my knees, beginning the sketch of my new robot's design until I realize I need to put a name for the robot first. Rock silently observes from beside me, leaning against the table and watching with his ever curious blue eyes.

 _Hmm, I think I'll call him 'Z' as a prototype name until I figure something out. Maybe Zero or something? Zephyr? Hee hee... Actually, Zero sounds pretty cool. Zero it is!_

I scribble the name at the top of the paper and grin to myself as I begin sketching an outline.

Project Zero.

This will _definitely_ be distracting!

"Hey... Are you making another imaginary boyfriend to replace me?"

I nearly destroy Grandpa Wily's lab when I end up picking up my rolling chair and chase Rock around in an attempt to hit him with it.

* * *

 **I'll try not to cause** ** _too_** **much of a wait for the next chapter this time!**


	5. P 1 - Ch 5: Snap

Part 1 - Ch. 5: Snap

 **(2 Months Later)**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

"Phyllis, you have to cooperate with us or we can't help you," My mom scolds me with an irritated huff, causing my head to snap in her direction.

"Maybe I don't _want_ your help," I snark rudely, slapping the hand of the Doctor Reynolds away from me when he attempts to reach for my sweater shirt. Unfortunately, I'm visiting (reluctantly) for the much dreaded physical from the medical doctor. To say that it's invasive is an understatement- Doctor Reynolds _would_ _not_ stop asking about the incidents in the past year. I don't know anything! I know about as much as he does- I'm probably just schizophrenic and seeing things!

Sadly, I couldn't avoid this doctor visit any longer- my Mother was lenient with my many excuses before, but after she wised up and realized that they actually _were_ only excuses, she took the day off today to drag me here against my will.

"Don't be ridiculous! You may not want it, but you _need_ it. For goodness sake, Phyllis, you won't even sleep alone anymore! Just let us help you!" My mom argues, this time successfully grabbing the lower hem of my shirt and pulling up.

I tug it from her grip as fast as I can, but the shocked gasp that escapes her evidently lets me know she's already seen what I've been trying to hide for the past year or so.

I stare ahead at the door of the small doctor's office, refusing to meet her gaze when I see her place her hands over her mouth out of the corner of my eye.

"...Excuse me..." I hear her say before she turns and hurries out of the office. I watch the door close behind her with a grimace, no longer swatting Doctor Reynold's hands away when he reaches for my shirt and pulls it off to examine what is no longer a secret. I have my hands folded in my lap, but every now and then, I get one of my arms pulled up for better examination at the portions of skin covered by them.

 _Why does she have to be so nosy..._ I complain in my head before finally having had enough of the pokes and prods at my bruises, thin geometric scar lines, and intricately designed burns that cover my entire torso, arms, and back. There are some on my legs too, but I'm going to let the doctor get to those ones. "That's enough, look but don't touch! Okay?" I bark, mildly pleased when the doctor no longer pokes at the injuries I sustained from... Well, who knows where I really got them from.

After the physical, which ends up including a full on undressing (and unfortunately more poking and prodding at injuries), I'm evidently allowed to pull my mauve purple sweatshirt back on and leave the room with my medical files to go find my mother.

 _Jeez, she's really good at vanishing when the going gets tough,_ I think until I turn a corner of the building.

I quickly dart right behind the corner again when I see my mom at one of the medical facility pay phones with her back to me. Curious about who she was talking to, I watch tentatively as she leans against the wall, her red fitted dress snug around her thin, tall hourglass figure.

I'll never admit it to her, but even though she's strict and sometimes irrationally cold, I still look up to her. Mom is really pretty, I can only hope I inherit some of her traits as I grow up... I mean, I know I inherited a bit of her snappy attitude, but she's way tougher than I am.

I smile to myself until I hear the undeniable sound of a hiccup from her. My smile drops from my face when I hear it, and I strain my ears to get a better grasp of what the noise is.

 _Huh? Wait... Is she crying?_

I get lower and tilt my head so my ear will receive her voice better, only to regret my decision seconds after when I can hear what she is saying.

"...Dad, I _thought_ she was doing them herself- I assumed she was cutting herself to get attention. Now that I saw the rest of her, she has cuts, scars, burns, and bruises on her in designs that make _no sense_ ," I flinch when my mom pauses to let out a small sob that she's clearly trying to restrain. "Dad, someone is hurting my baby, and she's _keeping_ _it_ _from_ _us."_

 _I already told her- I don't KNOW where I got those marks from. I can't tell her what I don't know!_

I slowly begin to back away from the corner until I'm out of the range in which I can hear the conversation. In the process, I bump into a nurse, whirling around and offering her an apology only to get a nasty look in reply. _Her_ attitude is the least of my worries though, that's for sure.

 _I really hate this_ , I think to myself as I watch the nurse walk away briskly while scribbling on a clipboard she held. Rather than stand there in the middle of the hall like a moron, I begin to walk towards the lobby of the medical center, where I can wait for my mom to finish her call with Grandpa Light. There isn't much I can do about her tears, so I simply sit down in the waiting room and take the moment to think about everything that has been going on.

 _...I've never seen Mom cry before,_ I realize in surprise, feeling my face fall and clutching my medical files to myself tighter. _I'm such a brat... I'm hurting everyone and I can't do anything right._

I bite my lip, looking up just in time to see my mom walking over to where I was sitting. She isn't crying anymore, nor does she look like she's recently been crying either. I must look a little upset, because she gives me a sympathetic look and holds out her hand to me.

"Come on, Phyllis. Time to go home," she says gently, her tone resigned and tired for the most part.

My head is beginning to hurt again, I assume from the stress of me being the result of pain towards every member of my family. Even Cecilia at school was worried and visited every day since my parents refuse to let me go to class in my current state. Sadly, I still have to do homework and send it in via Cecilia taking it to the teachers for me, but honestly, that's just another trivial spectacle of my life.

I take my mom's hand and follow her out of the medical center, eyes flicking around once we are outside.

As I suspected, I can see a tall shadowed figure watching me from under a lamp in the fiery afternoon parking lot. Once again in plain sight were anyone can see it if they glance in that specific spot.

My mom doesn't even bat an eye in its direction.

* * *

 **(Five Hours Later - 9 PM)**

With a soft sigh under my breath, I sit down at the dinner table and roll a meatball around aimlessly on my plate of spaghetti. My fork doesn't even make a sound as I play with my food and eye our parents from where I sit. The table is unnaturally silent, as it has been lately. It isn't the once cheerful and upbeat place to talk about the day's events like it had been before...

My mom and dad finished eating long time ago, but neither have moved to take their empty plates to the kitchen sink. Peter isn't even touching his food- let alone tinkering with his comm. device like he usually would. Pate was the only one immune to the tension, eating slowly with an expression of delight- that is until his eyes shift to look at every one of us and he notices our collective negative expressions.

...

"Aren't you two hungry?" Pate asks Peter and I curiously, pointing his fork at our still packed dishes.

Neither of us answer, but I look at Pate and then back down at my dish with a small shrug. My appetite hasn't been so big after the whole medical center incident.

 _I'm such a terrible daughter..._ I think to myself, finally putting my fork down to stare at the solitary meatball in front of me, surrounded by spaghetti. _I'm like this meatball. All alone in this mayhem with spaghetti who are far too different to understand my situation._

"Phyllis, talk to us," Peter suddenly speaks softly, but I don't turn my head. Peter hasn't asked me to talk before- not when I started sleepwalking, and not when I'd vanished. Not even when I started sleeping in his room with him out of fear to be alone. In fact, throughout this ordeal, I almost thought he didn't really care about what was going on.

The night I found myself in the middle of Titanium Park, he'd been on a date with his girlfriend. When he got back home, he didn't even ask if I was alright- he just acted like everything was normal and tried to kick me out of his room when I snuck in (Of course, he evidently allowed me to stay that night and for numerous other nights).

Somehow though, I knew he was only pretending. I know my older brother is as worried as everyone else.

 _...I want to remember where I got all these cuts, scars, and burns... But I can't._

"I can't. I already told you," I reply shortly, almost making it sound like I'm trying to avoid the topic. I do want to avoid it, but these kinds of conversations can't be avoided forever- they only get more attention and continue to go on until one of us eventually explodes with anger and retreats to our rooms- hence why Peter always lets me sleep in his room. He's never one of the ones to explode. Heck, one time even _Pate_ got so mad about my "heavy silence" regarding my injuries that he locked himself in the second floor bathroom for an entire day until he came out because he was so hungry.

Peter slams a fist down loudly on the table, making the silverware and plates clink together and causing all of us to flinch in bewilderment. Peter has never asked about the incidents, and he certainly _never_ gets seriously mad like this.

 _"God damn it, Phyllis!_ How long are you going to keep this to yourself?" He shouts, standing and grabbing the back of my chair so he can turn me to face him. His hands lock down on the back rest of my chair, keeping me caged in place so that I can't escape. "I know you know something- Don't give me that 'I can't' crap."

"Peter, calm down-" My pacifistic dad tries to intervene, standing up as well.

"Dad, I'm sorry, but _shut up._ I'm sick and tired of all this bullshit that's going on, she's talking RIGHT NOW, or so help me god, I will literally drag her to a police station and get a whole line up for her to choose from," Peter cuts our dad off.

He turns back to me, our little brother having gotten closer to our parents where he is now giving Peter and I fearful looks after our older brother's outburst.

"TALK," Peter demands

"I can't," I repeat my answer again, this time making my response noticeably curt.

"Fine! Yes and no will suffice then!" Peter barks in my face. "Are you hurting yourself?"

"Wha- _No!"_ I say with clear disgust at the idea. I thought Mom was the only one that thought that! "Why would I-?!"

"Is _someone else_ hurting you?"

"I don't-" I start, only to snap my jaw shut when Peter yells in my face again.

 _"No!_ No _'I don't know'!_ YES OR NO, IS SOMEONE ELSE HURTING YOU?"

"YES," I find myself blurting out in panic from the force of his rage. Peter is even scarier than our mom...! Maybe it's because he's never gotten as angry as this? Then again, Mom doesn't scream in our faces- she actually doesn't scream much at all. It's her punishments and snarky attitude that freaks Pate and I out.

Peter isn't afraid of Mom, now that I think about it- he pretty much couldn't care _less_ when she tries to boss him around. I guess older siblings are just tough due to more experience with parents? I don't know...

Regardless, it appears that I'm going to have to blurt out whatever comes first to my mind, because if I keep saying I don't know, he's just going to yell at me more.

"Was someone sneaking into your room to hurt you before you started sleeping in mine?"

Flabbergasted and not sure how to answer, I shake my head a little in confusion, my eyes wide as dinner plates. I don't want him to scream in my face again, but I honestly _do not know_ that answer.

"I-"

"PHYLLIS!" Peter snaps.

"NO, NO ONE WAS SNEAKING IN!" I blurt out again.

"Do you _know_ the person who's hurting you?"

"No!" I answer as fast as I can, that question is an easy one to answer.

"Did you get a good look at who was hurting you?"

 _I don't know who's hurting me, you idiot!_ I think furiously, but end up answering, "Yes."

"Do you know _why_ this person is hurting you?"

"No."

"Have you seen this person often?"

"Yes," I say, no longer thinking about my answers and simply applying all the questions to the... _Hallucination_... I'm seeing around me all of the time. What more can I do?

"...Was it a man?" Peter asks, his tone no longer sharp and his eyes flashing with worry as he asks the question.

"No." Peter relaxes at my answer, but goes back to drilling after a second.

"Was it a woman?"

"No."

He looks honestly surprised at my answer to that, raising a brow and then asking, "Was it a robot?"

"No," I repeat, only then noticing a familiar shadow behind Peter.

My eyes slightly go wide when they meet _it_. The hallucination- the shadow- is _inside the house with me._ I move to try and get up, but Peter frowns and shoves me back into place with a sharp glare. He barely seems to register the growing panic as my eyes bounce from him to the space behind him.

"What was it then? Why won't you let us help you?" He asks, causing my eyes to flick to the shadow behind fearfully. It might not move if I keep my eyes on it- it worked before, didn't it?

"Because, I can't-" I begin, only for Peter to jerk the chair forward and force my attention to jump to him again. For a second, seeing him quells some of my panic... But it gets bad pretty fast again.

"YOU CAN. We can _help you,_ just tell us what's wrong! Stop keeping things from us!" Peter has started yelling again, and my panic is returning- this time it's to an extreme degree.

"I can't!" I snarl furiously, raising my voice to match his octave. I'm desperate to just _get away_ from the shadow behind him. It has its glowing white pupils narrowed directly on me and is slowly getting closer to us despite my trained gaze staying on it. No one else notices it, as per _fucking_ usual.

"Peter, that's enough!" I hear Mom yell, but Peter doesn't move back an inch.

"YES WE CAN! YOU'RE JUST TOO STUBBORN TO TELL US!"

My head is a painful storm of frustration, fear and nausea at that point. I touch my nose curiosly, shocked to see that I've gotten another one of my bloody noses sometime in the middle of Peter's intense drilling -yet he hadn't made a move to tell me or get me a tissue.

"Peter-" I begin with a calmer tone, hoping to get him to go grab me a tissue so I can make a break for the exit of what I'm now sure is a modern hell hole.

My heart races with the speed of the pounding pain in my head and feels like it can burst at any moment. With only one hand bloody from touching my nose, I come to notice that my clean hand is ridden with nervous sweat and clenching the side of my pants. I'm shaking from head to toe- though I'm not sure what's causing it. It could be anything or everything, considering the situation.

"PHYLLIS, TELL US! WE'LL HELP YOU-" Peter barks, knuckles turning white on the backrest of my chair.

"HOW CAN YOU HELP ME WHEN YOU CAN'T EVEN SEE IT?!" I practically scream at the top of my lungs, causing a sharp dry pain in my throat once I take a deep breath to recuperate. My words are successful in making my older brother jerk back in confusion.

His hands release my chair and the cage around me vanishes, allowing me to stand up abruptly to take a couple strides backwards. My eyes are now focused on the shadow behind him, which stares me down and has stopped coming closer the moment I'd gotten up. I nearly bump into the living room couch, but steady myself and make my way around it as my eyes bounce from my family's expressions to the figure smack in the middle of them.

 _I don't understand...! Why can't they SEE it?!_

I'm not about to wait for _it_ to try and grab me, not like it had tried to that one night at Grandpa Light's house when that old baseball broke a window.

"Phyllis, wait!" I hear Mom shout when I make a run for the front door, nearly tripping over my own foot on the way.

I throw it open, letting it slam against the side of the house and pausing for half a second when I notice a couple of figures making their way to our house. My stomach drops and I mentally curse my horrible luck. This day was just a string of guilt and misfortune for me!

The figures walking towards our house are my grandfathers and the robots.

I let out a yelp, not only at the sight of _them_ , but at the sight of what I see is _around_ them.

Shadows. _Everywhere._

All around the neighborhood are tall, eerie figures with white glowing pin pricks for eyes, every single one of them watching me like the one that has been stalking me for the longest time. There looks to be at least twenty, a horrifying motivation to get me sprinting towards the side of the house where I recall there being a small hole in the wall I can squirm through as a shortcut to get to the next block quickly.

 _"Phyllis?!"_ I hear Grandpa Wily shout in panic from behind.

"Hey, stop!" I hear Cut call out just as I reach the wall and desperately crawl under the small gap between the bottom right and my house wall.

I manage to get my upper half through quickly enough, but have to squirm to get my hips past the hole. Just as I'm standing up, I turn to see Ice already making his way through the hole, prompting me to start running again as soon as I see that Cut is also jumping over the wall with that useful vertical wall jumping ability I'm now regretting I ever gave him.

"Ice! Cut! We'll meet you on the other side! Don't let her out of your sight!" Rock shouts from far behind the wall as I run up the street with Ice a few paces behind, my legs burning furiously from both exertion and stress.

"Got it!" I hear my two Phylbots yell in unison while I struggle to put as much distance between the shadow figures and myself, not to mention put distance between myself and my robots- since I know they'll just drag me back in that cursed area if they get their hands on me.

I keep on running for quite a while, only because I keep seeing the figures lingering in every street I pass. I'm not heading in a specific direction, my running is rather sporadic upon every corner turn I make to avoid getting near one of the tall, eerie shadow, but I can see I'm making my way towards the edge of the Mega City, nearing a valley and mountainous area that's maybe a mile or so away from the modernized city, taking up even more space than the city itself. Not many people go to the area because of Mountain Lions, but I disregard that fact and continue on towards it anyways. Besides, Mountain Lions are a _whole_ lot better than whatever the hell those shadowed figures are!

"Phyllis, please stop running!" Cut calls out, sounding a little closer than before. "You're going to strain yourself or something!"

"Also, your nose is bleeding by the way!" Ice also shouts as well, sounding much further than Cut and I are.

The only bad thing about having robots chasing me is the fact that they have unlimited stamina. I can only run for so long before I get to my slowest point and eventually stop out of exertion. Cut man will most likely probably catch me before I get tired, since he's the fastest of the robot masters we built... Good to know that my magnificent job is biting me back in the behind.

Ice, since he has shorter legs, can't exactly keep up with us, but I'm sure he'll eventually catch up once Cut catches me.

 _No...! Don't give up! Run FASTER!_ I think furiously, growling under my breath and forcing my legs to pick up speed when I suddenly catch sight of another shadow in the corner of my eye.

I'm passing the last street that's a part of Mega City, running under a few bridges overhead as the shadow from the corner of my eye springs out from behind the picket fence of the last house towards our right. My eyes widen when I see it pouncing for me, prompting my body to give me a chilling adrenaline rush that has me racing forward in a burst of speed that literally has my hair whipping back behind me.

"Wait! _How are you even running that fast?!_ Slow down! I... I'm low on energy!" Cut calls from behind, his voice slowly growing further and further. "Ice, keep going! I can't... Keep up!"

 _"What?!_ She's got longer legs, she'll outrun me!" I can hear Ice argue in panic from somewhere behind.

I don't bother to look back or pay any more attention to my precious creations, focusing on riding out the adrenaline rush I've acquired so I can get closer towards the valley within my sight. Trees coat the land on the other side of the grassy depression that leads towards the mountains.

A gasp flies out of me when I spot a dark clawed appendage swiping out towards me from the left, making me veer towards the right and bring my arms in towards me quickly to avoid being grabbed. One of the _things_ is following me- and it's hazardously closing in on my position. Maybe not even one- there are probably a bunch on my tail! What _else_ were they all doing outside _my_ home?

I'm still not sure if I can believe that they're hallucinations, but to be honest, I _do not_ want to find out if they're real.

"Phyl... Phyllis!" I hear Ice call out, finally getting me to glance back so I see him at the top of the valley I'm now racing down.

I only look at my robot once. He's stopped, probably due to the same reason Cut was forced to stop chasing me- low energy. Honestly, it scares me that I'm about to be all alone with the shadowed creatures... But even if Ice _could_ be with me, he wouldn't see anything other his maker going loony and screaming about monsters all around.

Monsters _are_ all around though. Imaginary or real, I can see them. A handful zoom right past Ice towards me and all he does is watch me with clear confusion as I turn back around to continue running as fast as my legs can carry me. I wonder what he's thinking... Seeing me running away like this.

I wonder where I'm going to go.

 _I don't CARE where I go anymore! Just as long as they don't follow me,_ anywhere _is fine!_

I can feel water beginning to sting in the corners of my eyes as I start up the other side of the valley and towards the rocky edges of the mountain, pulling myself up over some rocks and using the thin pine trees as something to grab onto for a faster ascent. I make many minor missteps, but I eventually manage to get to a leveled area and start running deeper into the mountain's natural steep woods.

 _This is part of the area Cut was assigned to oversee forestry management..._ I think to myself with realization as I quickly swing around trees, my fingers coating themselves in the sticky natural substance from pushing away so many pine tree branches. _Why am I thinking about trivial things like that? I have better things to worry about!_

I look back and make a small noise of surprise when I find nobody behind me. I skid to a stop on the dirt road, accidentally sliding much too quickly and recklessly that I feel the weightless sensation of my loss of balance. A yelp escapes my lips when I land over some uncomfortable rocks that protrude from the dirt path, arms wrapping around myself to hold my side so I can both catch my breath and resist crying out from the sharp pain that is now emitting waves of discomfort through my body.

My comm. device clatters to the ground from my pocket as I lift myself onto my feet, but I don't move to pick it back up. No, that's a potential method my family can use to find me... I can't face them like this... I'm legit going crazy! Why would I _want_ them to see me like this?

 _I know I'm going crazy- the shadows are gone! They just vanished into thin air! They aren't real... Which means something is wrong with my head... I completely humiliated myself in front of everyone. I don't want to see them right now, I just want to be alone..._

I finally release my side when the pain begins to subside, looking around for the shadows one more time before kicking my communicator down towards the bottom of the hill. It rolls a bit and then starts emitting my ringtone, signaling that someone is calling me. I watch as it increases in velocity and finally vanishes from sight along with its soft glowing screen, leaving me to turn and continue climbing up the mountain to find somewhere to hide from everyone that I know will be on their way to come find me.

I hope I'm not overreacting with things... In the very back of my mind, in the depths that I usually only store desperate thoughts- I honestly wished that the shadows were real so that I wouldn't feel so ashamed about what's going on in my head.

Robots are so lucky... They can't go crazy like us humans can.

* * *

 **(A Little Later)**

I stop walking rather close to the middle region of the mountains and end up setting up a small camp (as in stopping and sitting down to do nothing) in a grassy clearing near a vale where I can hear the sound of running water to calm my erratic nerves.

I'm still twitching uncontrollably in several areas and I refuse to try and sleep even though I'm already getting exhausted. My head still hurts as well, and the blood that had escaped my nose back at home has unfortunately already crusted up at my nostrils and part of my upper lip. Trying to pull at it hurts... So it turns out that I'm stuck with it even after I tried to wash it off at the small river below the hill.

 _It's kind of cold,_ I notice my body involuntarily shivering even more due to the combination of my twitchy nerves. I'm only wearing my sweatshirt and thick black leggings, my feet luckily shielded from sharp rocks and twigs by black boots tied up to my ankles with a thick gray shoelace that is beginning to fray at the seams.

My face falls as I think about home. _I should be asleep with Peter right now._

I'll probably feel guilty for my upcoming accusations, but at that moment, the wave of anger that suddenly washes over me takes complete control over every single train of thought that crosses my mind.

This is all Peter's fault. Not in the grand scale of things at least, but tonight's runaway is _definitely_ his fault. Our argument must have had such negative effects on me that all my hallucinations came to haunt me at that very moment. If stupid Peter hadn't been screaming at me, I wouldn't have had to run away and hide up here in these stupid cold mountains, in my stupid unfashionable dark clothes, without my favorite stupid pink hair ribbon he'd given to me as a present when we were little, and...

And...

I pull my knees up to my chest for about the hundredth time that year, my nose beginning to get stuffy from the memories that are slowly flooding into my brain. Peter is a good brother. He was stupid tonight, but he is still a good brother... He just can't watch me struggling anymore, I guess.

 _Stupid Peter,_ I think sourly despite already forgiving him for what had happened.

Never mind that though.

 _I can forgive Peter all I want, but what I really need to do is think about what happened back outside the house... All those shadows and I still can't figure out whether I truly am going insane or not._

Every time I think I'm sure about one thing, something else comes along and sways me in the other direction. So are these things real? Or not? Are they a threat? Or imaginary?

 _What do I do? Wait for one to show up and_ ask _it?_

I look up at the tall pine trees around, which obscure almost half of the sky with its thick branches. A fog had picked up a little while ago, leaving me unable to see five feet ahead of myself due to the darkness paired with it. Now this... This scenario right here is way too close to that dream I had a few months back. I still can't stop obsessing about the dream to myself, being in a forest at night when it was the day time where my family had been. Of course, it's definitely night here where both my family and I are, but I'm in the middle of the woods just like in my dream.

Ironically, in my dream, I remember there being something running around that I couldn't see. Right here, the only thing like that are those shadow creatures that are either monsters straight out of hell, or made up imaginary enemies.

I stick my hands in my sweater pockets for some warmth, only to feel something I'd forgotten I'd put in there much earlier that day. At the doctor's office, to be exact...

When I pull it out to determine what it is, I smile a little to see my handiwork of sloppily mapped out blueprints for all the mechanics and endoskeleton designs for my upcoming robot, Zero. The page is a mess of pencil marks and smeared lead, never the less legible for anyone who tried to read it. Along with the folded paper is my aforementioned pink hair ribbon, which I promptly tie around my head in its proper place as I get comfortable and look over my amateur schematics. I can't read with the terrible lighting, but the parts of the drawings I could make out were nice.

 _...Maybe I should head back. The shadows aren't around anymore and I'm tired,_ I say after staring at my work for a little while, one of my hands having gone up to play with one end of my pink ribbon.

I'm just about to finally force myself up when the smallest growl suddenly comes from directly behind my head. Petrified, I slowly raise myself until I'm on my two feet before I turn around to see what is making such a noise behind me.

The thing standing behind me is hunched over, glowing white eyes staring down at me from its massive height even without it standing straight. It's body is unnaturally skinny, and contrary to how I'd seen it many times before, appears to be lost in thought. I'm able to get a good look at it this time, as opposed to the many times I only caught sight of it fleetingly before I looked away out of fear. I'm not exactly sure if observing it is a good or bad thing...

It still resembles a shadow, one with charcoal colored skin, tiny glowing eyes and bared rows of tiny jagged teeth along a large black beak I'd never seen on it before this night. It's just as thin as before, but now I'm able to make note of how skeletal it truly is. The shadow has a ribcage-like torso that is literally spine thin in the gap between its small hips to its torso. It's unnatural arm length extends downwards to the earth, planted in the dirt underfoot with sharp claws anchoring it in place.

Looking closely at its unsettling face, I find it to have two small holes over its beak, which it edges closer towards me with an audible sniff that gives me chills. Framing it's head is what looks like a feathered war bonnet- but in the darkness, I can't even be sure if it's a headpiece or part of the creature.

... _Wait, a feathered head? I don't remember seeing anything like that on the other things,_ I think to myself nervously.

I can only stand before it now, too scared to run but also too scared to try and fight if self-preservation calls for it.

 _Is this real? It doesn't look fake... Should I pinch myself? No, that's only for dreams, this is a hallucination... Or maybe not. Regardless, I will feel pain whether it's real or not... I'm going to reach out to it and see if it's real. What more can I do? It'll probably just kill me if it is real. If it's not, then what do I have to lose? My hand will go through it and nothing will happen. I will have an answer either way._

I shiver and bring one hand up nervously, feeling my eyes begin to sting as I stare back at its glowing white eyes. I really hope that my hand goes through it... But I also hope it's real so I don't feel so humiliated over the many incidents from before.

My right hand draws closer towards its left arm, but even when I'm inches away from contact, it makes no move to flinch away- let alone signal any sort of distaste for my actions. My heart speeds at its silence. What if it's faking me out to get me to put my hand close enough for it to snap it's beak on my fingers?

 _Closer... Almost there and fingers still intact..._ I try to encourage myself with little results.

When I finally reach my destination, I almost cry in relief and scream in horror.

My hand presses gently into its arm, where I feel a smooth and strange yet undeniable feeling of skin. The creature is cold, but it's still skin I'm touching.

 _Oh my god, I'm not seeing things. This thing is real!_ I think fearfully before snatching my hand back in case it tries snapping it off in the midst of my shock.

Should I be running away now? Or screaming? Then again, where can I go? Who would hear me? I'm all alone out here... And furthermore, if it wanted to kill me, why didn't it already do it?

 _Why aren't I dead yet?_

I cock my head to the side as I assess it before taking an experimental step back. It makes no move to attack or slash at me.

 _Why isn't it doing anything…?_

My stomach immediately sinks when it begins to reach out slowly towards me. I feel my body tense and close my eyes, cringing inwardly as I wait for it to kill me. This is it- it's about to kill me. It had it's fun chasing its prey and now I'm going to die. I feel it touch my arm and...

Then nothing.

I open my eyes and look up, inhaling sharply when I see it pull it's limb back, allowing it to rest at its side and leaving me to blink at it in confusion.

 _This one looks different… It's still kind of creepy, but it isn't like the others that were outside on the block or in the house. No, this one looks completely different- this is almost avian like…_ I assessed even though my sight is slightly impaired in the dark.

As soon as it lifts two more appendages, a third and fourth limb that both reach forward from its back, I draw my arms back into my chest protectively. Next thing I know, the strange loose appendages of the creature wrap around my neck and slide it's tips to either side of my temples, pressing gently against the bone of my skull.

I feel my body begin shaking as I wait for something to happen... Until I find myself down on my knees, staring down at the ground with no recollection of when I'd knelt.

 _Wait... What?_

I move to rub my eye when I feel something in it bugging me, and as soon as the itch is relieved, I looked around in confusion. The avian creature is gone.

Blinking in confusion at my surroundings, I realize that my head is no longer hurting and that there are subtle differences to the environment all of a sudden. The fog has lifted- and I can see just a little further than I could before the figure did... Well, _whatever_ it did to alleviate my migraine. Not to mention that the sky looks almost purple-red and the once visible stars are no longer in sight.

 _That's odd… Where did that thing go anyways? How did it manage to vanish so quickly? Why didn't it kill me?_

My mind is filled a flurry of questions as I gape at the spot where the creature once stood, calming myself down and warily looking around in case the other creatures (unlike that avian shadow) have already surrounded me. They couldn't have all just vanished, could they?

I slowly stand up from my kneeling position and frown when I think back to the events leading up to my presence here. Something was wrong, not at this specific moment, but regarding what I can remember. Which frankly... Is suddenly sort of warped.

 _I got yelled at by Peter, I ran away from home to the mountains, I encountered bobcat and-_

 _Wait... That seems wrong. I didn't encounter a bobcat, did I...? No. That can't be right. I ran away from home to the mountains... OH! I was being chased by something! ...But they weren't_ bobcats. _And there were many._

I touch my chin and force myself to remember the creature that had touched my head with its appendages. I had a gist and an idea of what it looked like, but I couldn't pull up an exact memory pertaining to its appearance. Dare I say it, but... Did it do something to my memories? And was it... real?

My hands sting at my palms, making me pull my hands up to my line of sight and then go stock still when I get a good look at my palms.

In both palms are blue marks that embed into my skin far too deep to be normal, a series of dotted marks that make a circle with an intricate pattern of dots within them that makes no sense to my eyes. Both are different on each palm, and when I see them I can't help but sit down and immediately wrestle one of my boots off.

I take off my sock and turn my foot to see it- on my heel are a series of red dots that make up a triangle with nothing inside of its shape other than my skin. I have no doubts there's a similar one on my other foot, but choose to shake my head in frustration and cover my foot back up with my sock. How would I explain to everyone about my hands? I use them every day!

Peter is going to yell at me again...

I stand up and look around nervously, waiting for a shadowed figure to appear somewhere. They always do like coming out when I'm by myself...

But I'm undeniably alone.

There is no one else here but me.

" _Phyllis!"_

Or not…

I turn my head just in time for a certain someone to tackle me into the dirt, knocking the air out straight out of my lungs to the point that I feel like a fish out of water.

" _What were you thinki-?_ Oh crap, are you okay?! My bad! Breathe, breathe, breathe!" Rock apologizes profusely, putting my arms in a raised position and pressing into my chest with his hands until I finally catch my breath and sit up to cough a little.

"Oh, you found her!" I hear a female voice shout in relief.

"Rock saves the day with his Doc-ette Detector! Woo hoo!" Cut teases from a spot near us, just before the sound of metal clanging has me looking up from my position on the ground.

"Thank god we found you!" Ice says, grabbing my hands from their spot around my neck and helping me back up on my feet. "How do you feel?"

I look at each of their expectant faces, Cut rubbing the spot on his abdomen where I'm sure Rock struck him, Roll smiling up at me with an expression of relief- the only one to honestly know more about my struggles than anyone else, and Rock, who gave me a dazzling smile as my eyes met his.

My face falls and I look down at my feet. My memory of the incident may be a little screwed up (or a lot, who really knows), but I definitely ran away from the robots when they were only trying to help me.

"…I'm sorry," I murmur to them.

At my words, Roll takes in sharp breath with her synthetic "lungs" and snatches one of my hands from Ice. Her expression turns into a soft, sympathetic look.

"Doctor Phyllis, don't worry. I understand. You don't have to say a thing," Roll says gently, making me snatch my hands out of both their grips.

"I don't even know _what_ to say. Other than I must be losing my mind or something," I grumble, crossing my arms and turning away from them in mild frustration. "Being organic _sucks."_

"You can't honestly mean that, Doc-ette. You get to taste, to breathe, to grow... That's amazing! You don't wanna be like us- we're just metal and numbers," Cut tries to console me, walking around me to get me to face him again. I turn away from him defiantly. "Phyllis?"

In the back of my mind, something keeps repeating the same thing.

 _It's real. It's real. It's real. It's real._

What could I tell them though? And why was I suddenly so sure that the creatures were real? They won't believe me, creatures like those are only in stories…

… _Apparently._

"Come on, let's go back. We won't let anyone yell at you, promise. Your mom told us that Peter kind of exploded and had a fit… But don't worry. If anyone tries anything, we'll protect you!" Roll states cheerfully, reaching out to grab my wrist so I will follow.

I snatch my hand out of her grabbing range. "No, wait-" I try to object, but since I'm so busy trying to resist _her,_ Rock catches sight of my palm and grabs one of my wrists while I'm fending off my female robot. I glance at Rock as soon as I feel his hand pulling me towards hum

"Phyllis, what's this?" Rock asks sharply, turning my hand palm up so he can see the blue dotted marks on my hand. "Where'd you get this?"

I someone grabbing my other wrist, and when I turn to see who's taking a look at my other hand, I see Ice leering at my palm. "Hey, there's a mark on this hand too!" He says to rock, while Cut and Roll shift to look at my hands curiously.

"Weird... You're into some funky stuff, Doc-ette," Cut states, before Rock's hand snaps out to slap the front of Cut Man's chest. "Hey, I'm just being honest!"

"The only one that needs to be honest here is Phyllis," Roll proclaims, looking back up at me despite the completely frazzled look on my face. Be honest about _what?_ Why does everyone just go on assuming that I know everything happening to me?!

 _"I don't know!"_ I snap, yanking my hands out of theirs when their prodding and pokes begin to annoy me. "They weren't there before- and then they suddenly _were_. I don't know what happened, I don't know what caused them to appear, I don't remember seeing anyone here, I don't remember how I got _up_ here, I don't know why I'm getting bloody noses and random burns and scars all over me, I don't know why I can't remember parts of my days, I have _no idea_ why the hell I keep getting shit thrown at me for being incapable of _knowing_ what's going on, and frankly, I'm sick and tired of _losing my goddamn mind!"_

By the time I've finished my rage-filled complaints, all four robots are staring at me with flabbergasted expressions. They say nothing while I take a few deep breaths, glancing down at my hands and poking at one of the blue dots myself. I give it a furious scratch to see if it will come off, but it appears to be neither made of regular ink nor made of stickers.

"W-well then..." Ice speaks up after an extended silence of absorbing my claims. "I can say I'm honestly impressed that she managed to climb so high up here… But seriously, Rock, how did you know where she was?"

We all look at Rock in question, me mostly out of surprise since I'd thrown my phone out a long time ago. If he wasn't tracking that, then how could he have found me? I don't have any other electronics on me...

"…Doctor Light had special chips put in Phyllis and her brothers a while back so that if they got lost, they'd be able to find them via the chips releasing a signal to the lab computers. Just so happens that Doctor Light added a special feature in my system to detect where Phyllis and her brothers are at all times," I hear Rock confess, causing me to make a scrunched face of disbelief before I start probing the skin around my shoulder, neck and chest.

"Don't look so weirded out, Doc-ette! This is a _good_ thing! Rock gained experience and leveled up into a whole _new_ type of stalke-!"

The sound of metal clanging has me rolling my eyes, but it also brings a relieved smile to my face when I realize that they're choosing to drop the topic (for now) to keep me from stressing out. I can see Rock is still glancing at my hands every now and then, but he mentions nothing about them.

My first honest smile in a while… And somehow, I have a small feeling that things are going to get better. Especially now that everything seems to be over... No more migraines, that has to be a sign, right?

The worst is behind me, I'm sure of it...

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews so far! :D You're all really awesome!**

 ***Chapters 1-5 have officially all been edited!***


	6. P 1 - Ch 6: One Hundred Percent

**Part 1 - Ch. 6: One Hundred Percent**

 **(3 Years Later)**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

"What?! But Mom, that's not fair!" I shout across the dinner table, standing up and slapping my hands against the tabletop on either side of my uneaten meal. The dishes clatter with my movements, but I continue my argument despite it. "I can't miss it, this is a once in a lifetime revealing! I _have_ to be there, two of the robot masters are _my_ _creations!"_

"Yeah, well your graduation is a once in a lifetime event too. I'm not letting the celebration of your success in school come second to your robot building hobbies," she replies calmly, taking a delicate bite of her perfectly cut bite-sized steak piece.

"Why can't you just be thankful that I actually passed school and... Wait, did you just call my robot engineering a _hobby?"_ I repeat her words, shocked that she actually believes that the efforts I put into robotics are simply a so called 'hobby'. Then again, there's a feeling in my gut that tells me she knows how important it is to me...

"What planet have _you_ been on for the past four years?" Peter scoffs at our mom from the seat to my right, typing away on his comm. device despite adding his own input to the conversation. "Phyllis is studying robotics as a _career._ Making robots isn't just a hobby to her."

"Robotics won't give her a steady paycheck. Not unless she does what Grandpa Wily was doing with his unethical war machine creations..." Mom mutters harshly, eyes peering over at me when I start to grind my teeth angrily and bristle in offense.

 _Who says she has a say in what I want for my future anyways? Why does she have to try and rule my life?! What happened to "You can be whatever you want" in the future? Was that a lie? Am I supposed to study to be someone who gets a lot of money all the time like Mom? Work hard on a job I hate like Dad does?_

"Then how does Grandpa Light keep a steady pay check?" Pate asks our mom, sitting to my left and finally speaking now that his dinner plate has been thoroughly cleaned of its contents.

"He doesn't," Dad speaks up, glaring daggers at our mother.

Ever since the news about Grandpa Wily's unethical robot experiments got out, there's been a strong tension between our parents. It seems like Mom has suddenly decided to do a 180 on her thoughts about my interests in robots. She would ask me to come straight home after school more often (which I tried to disobey many times), she busied me with even more housework than my brothers to keep me from using free time to visit the robots and my grandfathers... And now she's trying to convince me that robotics will get me nowhere in life.

I'm sure Grandpa Light has had to borrow money a couple of times, yes, but when he _did_ complete a project, he would get enough money to support himself and pay everyone back! I mean, he has his own _lab-_ his own _house._ Mom's being overdramatic!

I look at each of my parents carefully, noting the distance that is between their seats before returning my gaze to my strict Mother pleadingly. "Mom. _Please let me go to the unveiling tomorrow,"_ I beg one more time.

Our mom pauses chewing and picks up one of the napkins by her plate, taking the time to wipe her mouth clean and finish chewing what she has in her mouth. When she finishes, she looks over at me and calmly replies to my pleas.

"Are you done eating?" Mom asks almost patronizingly.

At that, Peter suddenly stands up and shoves his communicator in his pocket, the metal chair he had been sitting on scraping against the tile flooring with a short screech.

"No, but we're done with you. Let's go upstairs, Phyllis. Bring your food. You come too, Pate," Peter says casually, heading for the stairs before Pate and I register his orders and scramble up to follow him.

I shoot my mom and dad leers before picking my dinner plate and silverware up behind my now 6 foot tall younger brother. My mom doesn't make any sort of complaint to our leaving the dinner table before everyone is finished with dinner, but I hear my dad begin to say something until Mom whispers something back to him in a low snap. As I walk after my brothers, I notice Dad whirl on her with a sneer, but we've already left the kitchen before we could see what would happen next.

"Take a seat on the bed," Peter says to us seriously as he shut his bedroom door behind us. Out of the three of us, he has the biggest bedroom, but Pate and I never really minded it much. Guess we both just preferred smaller rooms

"What is it?" Pate inquires curiously, making Peter gesture for us to sit down when Pate and I don't move from our rooted positions in front of the door.

"Just sit down, will you?" Peter repeats, taking a seat on his swiveling desk chair next to his bed.

Pate and I share a look, but we follow his orders after a moment. Now that I'm not being harassed by our mother's ideas, I begin eating my dinner beside my brothers. My younger brother sits to my left, bringing his legs up on the bed so that he's laid out on his side with his feet away from me. I'm _so_ glad he's always considerate of others... Especially considering how mortifying his feet could smell after his soccer practice...

Peter faces us and rests his arms on his legs so he's leaning forward in our direction. For a moment he doesn't say anything, but eventually, he releases a heavy sigh.

"Listen... I have to tell you two something important that I learned a while back when I started high school. I'm pretty sure you guys are smart enough to have figured it out already, but I want to repeat it just in case you have forgotten and are second guessing yourself. Mom just reminded me of it tonight with what she was just saying at the dinner table," Peter begins softly.

He meets both our gazes, but his eyes linger when he finds mine.

"I really want you two to remember this, okay? This isn't me talking out of my ass- I don't want either of you to forget what I'm about to tell you."

Pate and I nod at our older brother obediently, despite the sound of me slurping my spaghetti while he spoke. At the loud slurps, Peter shoot me an irritated glare that makes me pause and offer him a sheepish grin.

"Sorry. You can continue," I sheepishly mumble in embarrassment.

...

"What Mom did downstairs- calling your career choice a hobby and downplaying its importance- is _wrong._ Absolutely _do not_ let anyone tell you what you should do with your life- even if it has nothing to do with careers. If you care about yourself, you will do what you think is comfortable for yourself the future. Not what someone else tells you is comfortable based on how _they_ feel you should live your life. Don't you dare let anyone stomp over your choices like she tried to do. Got it?"

Peter pins us with pointed glares, making Pate and I nod quickly at his words.

"Good. Phyllis, finish eating in your room, your slurping is annoying. When you're done, both of you meet me in the downstairs computer room," Peter states before shooing Pate and I towards the exit.

I can't help but growl at him as Pate opens the door for me, following me out while I ate on the way to my room.

"We have such a good big brother," Pate says rather cheerfully, making me grunt in agreement despite that I Peter can be a pretty massive douche bag sometimes. Good brother or not, he's still be a pain in the ass when he wants to be...

* * *

 **(Later on)**

As soon as I finish my spaghetti, Pate and I enter the downstairs computer room and find Peter standing by the back window. He turns upon our entry, holding up what looks to be...

"Mom's car keys? How'd you get them out of her purse?!" Pate whispers, grinning and shutting the door behind us hastily. "She never lets that thing out of her sight!"

"I have my ways, little brother. I have my ways... Now let's get our sister to that robot unveiling," Peter proudly sates with a smirk, spinning the remote and key of the car around index finger easily.

"W-wait, you two are going too?" I ask, a smile gracing my surprised features.

"Course we are. I owe Cut Man a minor beating for covering all the handles, knobs, and levers in my room with glue stick material last month. He has yet to experience a prank from the _master_ though," Peter chuckles darkly, opening the window and jumping out.

My right eyebrow rises in confusion at his actions, but Pate speaks up before I can voice the inquiry. "Um, why are we going out the window...? The front door is literally a step away from outside the computer room."

Peter looks back in from outside, sporting a catty grin. "Because this way makes it cooler. _Duh,"_ Peter comments, right as he turns away and jogs over to our mom's car.

Pate and I share a look and end up shrugging, following suit of our older brother.

I hop into the backseat, letting Pate take shotgun as we all buckle in and cackle to ourselves mischievously. "Mom is going to blow a gasket when she finds us gone!" Pate snickers, unable to keep the wide smile off of his face. Normally Pate is a relatively straight-edge kid with good manners and a kind disposition, so whenever he rebelled (as it may seem, this only happens whenever Peter and I are included in the equation), he seems to get a minor adrenaline rush from it.

"I don't think she told Grandpa Light that your graduation ceremony was on the same day... So we should be safe to attend and everything without him shooing us away and scolding us for disobeying her," Peter explains, starting the silent electric car and quickly switching the gear from 'Park' to 'Drive'.

With nervous jitters, we soon find ourselves backing out of the driveway. I half expect to see Mom run out the door screaming for us to return her car back, but lucky us, it doesn't happen. We back out onto the road and drive off without so much as a hiccup in our plans.

"We have ten minutes till the unveiling. I think we can make it in time to see Grandpa Light before he gets on stage," Pate says as he tinkers with his Comm. Device, clearly having looked up information on the event at Titanium Park out of excitement. "I can't wait to see the robots again! Especially Ice and Cut, they're the greatest! Er, aside from Rock and Roll. They're pretty awesome too, right, Phyllis?"

I smile at my babbling younger brother, feeling my brow knit together just slightly at the mention of Rock. Last time I'd seen him (about a month ago thanks to _mother)_ , he'd accidentally walked in on me changing into my pajamas when I was spending the night there. I felt so bad for him, the poor assistant robot had been completely flustered... I'd forgotten entirely about my own embarrassment when he literally started babbling about utter nonsense- jumping from "Oh god" all the way to "Augh, you really hate me now, don't you" and even touching on "Holy crap, you've grown". That last one actually had me close to bursting out laughing on the spot, but he'd wordlessly excused himself by slamming the door shut without another comment as soon as it had left his mortified synthetic lips.

Yeah... The morning after, he'd been nowhere to be seen. Cut had been around me the most instead, making stupid remarks on the whole episode like, "Hey, Doc-ette, when we mentioned the _'robot unveiling'_ , we weren't talking about you flashing our poor Rocky-boy."

I ended up dumping my Phylbot in a garbage pail outside the lab, sitting right over the lid for a good twenty minutes and playing on my Comm. Device until it had died. As his pathetic cries for mercy due to the nasty contents within the pail replay in my head, I release a dark giggle under my breath.

"They're _all_ awesome, Pate," I reply, reaching over and resting my arms over the backrest of his seat. "Personally, I can't wait to see Grandpa Light again. He must think I was avoiding him after everything Mom was doing to keep me from visiting..."

Peter scoffs. "No way. He's probably worried you went crazy again and-" Peter cuts himself off abruptly, eyes widening in horror as he realizes what has just slipped out of his mouth. "Sorry, I didn't mean-"

"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it," I wave his worry off, giving him a patient smile. "You're right, he probably thinks I've holed myself up at home again or something... Hm, I forgot to bring a snack."

Pate shoots me a look shock. "A _snack?_ We just had lunch!"

"So? I'm a growing girl. I need my nutrients," I retort with goofy grin, just as we're pulling into the packed parking lot at Titanium Park. There's a line of cars that are being admitted into the lot and directed into specific areas, which Peter has no choice but to line up in due to no other entrances. "Ugh, they can't be serious... I won't be able to talk to Gramps if the line keeps up like this!"

"Be patient, Phyllis... If we don't see him before the unveiling, we will see him after. Be thankful I even busted you out here, or else you'd have been in line at your graduation ceremony listening to boring speeches about loving yourself and all that other cheesy leaving-the-nest bullshit," Peter scolds, playing with Mom's car options until he's altering the temperature to make it cooler. "Finally some _air._ God, I hate summer..."

"Why are you turning the air on, it's already cold as it is!" I object with a grimace, beginning to shiver and releasing a hiss of discontent.

"Your thermostat is messed up, Phyl, it's literally ninety degrees outside," Peter retorts, making me roll my eyes and shift back to unclip my seatbelt. "Hey, hold on just a second-!"

"It's fine! I'll meet you inside, alright? I _really_ want to talk to Grandpa Light, and the sooner I talk with him, the better. I'll be backstage," I say to my brother hastily, opening the car door and hopping out before he can reach out and stop me.

"... I'll go with her!" Pate agrees, just about to unclip his seatbelt and jump out before Peter lets out an indignant sound of disagreement and grabs hold of our younger brother's arm.

"You are _not_ leaving me to rot in this line by myself!" Peter barks, gluing his arm to Pate as I shut the car door and jog out past the parking booth. There are families getting out of their cars, as well as a few business people that have travelled into the park area where a stage has been set up for Grandpa Light to give his speech.

The air smells poignant of popcorn and hotdogs, which have my stomach growling and my wallet begging me to ignore it, quite unlike the smell of pine it had been on the night I'd found myself standing in the middle of the park.

My feet have taken control of my movements and before I know it, I'm standing in front of the aforementioned lamp post from three years ago with a churning stomach. Even with all the laughter and conversations from the pedestrians around me, the sight of the lamp post continues to instill a sense of dread that hangs over me. I sincerely hope my loony bits never see the light of day ever again...

I spin away from the lamp post to continue pushing my way past the crowd and head towards the backstage where I know Grandpa Light will be, cussing to myself under my breath whenever someone steps on my toes or bumps into my shoulder. Man, these people could sure be rude when they wanted to be! Er... That or it's just too packed, even for the gratuitous amount of land that makes up Titanium Park. I can see that everyone around is excited in one way or another, happy for the new technology put into making the Robot Masters, or upset if they are anti-robotics.

In fact, there is a small corner at the very back of the crowd where I can see people holding signs up and screaming out to the public about the negative outcomes Grandpa Light's controversial robots (and mine, but they don't know that) can have on our peaceful lifestyle.

Of course there would be controversy- robots with a will to live and a conscience? It's needless to say that some people would have a big problem with the idea that robots might actually turn on humans... But that's only because they have no idea about the fail-safe technology in each and every robot!

That's not counting Rock, Roll, and Blues (Protoman), the three originals that are early beta-bots and never had that specific coding imprinted on them. They're doing fine though, and I sincerely doubt that _Roll_ is going to bring an uprising against humans over _any_ reason, much less our marshmallow _Rock_ , who would rather play nice with everyone.

Those two are practically cinnamon rolls!

...Blues, I'm not so sure about. Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily haven't heard from him in decades, and with Peter as the only one to have met him of the three Wily-Light grandkids, he doesn't talk about him much, nor does he say anything on the matter of his disappearance. It makes me wonder if they were close when we were younger, but I figure that dwelling on the idea is about as useless as a cat chasing its own tail. Plus, he probably wouldn't want to relive the memories by telling Pate and I.

I scurry towards the steps that lead to the backstage prep room, pausing when I hear a conversation going on between the two familiar voices of my Grandpa Wily and Grandpa Light. Feeling a smidge of guilt at eavesdropping, I buckle down to a crouch and slowly crawl behind the lineup of Robot Masters that are currently offline, sitting just behind Guts Man and Cut as I listen to my grandfathers talk.

"Thomas, I helped design the Robot Master line with you- not including Phyllis' robots Cut and Ice- did I not?" That's clearly Grandpa Wily speaking, his voice casual as he brings up the subject.

"Yes," Grandpa Light agrees, the word coming out flat yet understanding. Grandpa Light always did have a way with his words...

"I helped _build_ our robots, right?"

A heavy sigh leaves Grandpa Light as the two stop just at the end of the Robot Master line up, making me duck a little more as I perk an ear up to catch more of the conversation. _"Yes,"_ Grandpa Light answers again, this time a little heavier with his tone of somber agreement.

This seems to be the moment Albert Wily is waiting for, holding up his hands and speaking purposefully as he tries to get his argument across to his colleague. "Then I should be on that stage making the unveiling announcement with you! I worked just as hard as you did, I don't want my credit to go to waste! They'll never believe me later on when I get my credentials back- and you know it," Wily reasons logically, causing a look of despondent grief to appear on Thomas Light's face.

"We've been over this already, Albert... I don't like it anymore than you do, it pains me that I can't tell anyone that you helped with these wonderful Robot Master projects. I'm serious, it truly _does._ However, those unethical robot experiments for war that you were pushing to patent... That kind of negativity would put all our hard work down the drain! Wouldn't you rather see our work making a difference in the world? Or watching it crumble as if it were only a nice dream? If the people saw you up there before the news of your controversial work finished blowing over, it would undermine what we are trying to accomplish in the world with Light Labs technology. I'm doing this for the both of us, can't you see?" Grandpa Light tries to retort gently, only resulting in Grandpa Wily spinning around to give him his back.

 _"Oh,_ how silly of me, Thomas... I forgot that 'Light' always makes 'Right'," Grandpa Wily hisses sourly, in a tone I've never heard from my oh-so-loving grandfather. To see him like this is new sight, like he's been keeping a whole 'nother side of himself hidden from prying eyes.

"No, it _doesn't,"_ Grandpa Light stresses, grabbing Wily's attention enough to make him turn his head back a little to show he's listening. "We all make mistakes, my friend. I haven't forgotten all the work we accomplished together at the University, and I know- _without a doubt-_ that you can make up for this one single mistake. You're an equal partner in Light Labs, and nothing will ever change that. Besides, we're going to be role models for Phyllis while she's off studying abroad to get her own license for robotic engineering! You'll miss out on today, but history will learn of the _two_ men- and their lovely granddaughter- who changed the future," Grandpa Light finishes, making me blush bashfully behind the Robot Master lineup at my inclusion in their legacy.

I'm even _half_ worthy for going down in history as one of the masterminds that changes the future- if anything, I'm chopped liver! After all, I would have never been able to build Roll had _they_ not created the schematics for building Rock.

I'm just a lab assistant, not a history maker...

With a sudden drop in enthusiasm, I swallow down a block of ice that has built up in my throat, fixing the hem of my black long sleeved zip up sweater and covering the sharp red halter dress I wore underneath it. Mom bought me the dress as a new outfit for graduation day, so along with the aforementioned articles, I also wore black tights, red flats, and had my hair tied back in a long loose braid down my back. Fancy enough to wear to graduation, casual enough to walk around town with it. The sweater sort of ruined the look, but whatever, it's _cold!_

"...Heh. Just don't screw up on your speech or anything, Tommy-boy," Grandpa Wily teases, making Grandpa Light begin sweating in mild panic at the remembrance of what is to come on stage.

"D-don't remind me... Let's not ask for miracles, Al," Grandpa Light replies good naturedly, shaking hands with Wily and putting an end to their minor disagreement.

At least it ended well, right?

 _Shoot, I shouldn't stay here. I can't hide from them forever!_

I shift to tiptoe out from behind the robots when I spot Rock suddenly make an appearance, grabbing Grandpa Light's wrist and handing him some index cards which no doubt has his speech scribbled onto them. "It's time, Doctor Light!" Rock notifies my grandfather, his clear blue eyes flicking over to me near the spot behind the other Robot masters when he catches my movement. I stop dead in my tracks and feel my eyes widen before I find the nerve to throw a finger over my lips to convey my desire for his silence. Before I know it, his eyes flick back to Grandpa Light's face, as if he hadn't seen me or is _pretending_ not to see me.

 _Whatever works!_ I think, running over to the other end of the curtain and hiding behind it until I see Rock usher Grandpa Light out to the stage.

Once I see Grandpa Wily follow a little closer behind, I emerge from my hiding spot, standing beside the line of Robot Masters and looking up at them thoughtfully. All five of them stand proudly in their places, offline for the moment but ready to be switched on to start the day (if they so chose to).

Unsurprisingly, Cut and Ice are the ones that were online for most of the time, but that's 'cause I made them... And they're awesome. As expected from the granddaughter of Doctor Wily and Doctor Light!

Not to say the other robot masters aren't awesome though, just that I have more of a connection to my own creations- not including Rock, who is my best friend built exclusively by Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily.

"Good morning, everyone!" I can hear Grandpa Light manage not to stutter, making me grin at a memory of him complaining last month about how bad his public speaking skills were. In my opinion, he doesn't sound too shabby. "Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedules to attend Light Labs most important product unveiling in the history of... Well... _Ever!"_

I start walking towards the curtain area, spotting Rock and Roll standing at the very edge of the curtain to the point that they're almost visible by most of the crowd at the far side. Grandpa Wily stands further behind them, so that none of the media persons spot him alongside his colleague. Since he's the closest, I stroll on up to him and poked his shoulder so that he turns to look at whoever's trying to get his attention. I playfully move around behind him so that he's unable to see me, but after another poke, he fully spins around and scowls at my giggling self.

"Not funny, Honey. What are you doing here? I thought today was your graduation day," he's quick to say, causing my body to suddenly lock up in horror.

 _Oh, God. Dad told him,_ I think, my second of delay enough to prompt Grandpa Wily to raise a single eyebrow in suspicion.

"Er, um, well you see... I stole Mom's car with Peter and Pate," I admit when his look dares me to lie to him even a little bit. I'm not even a good liar to begin with, so might as well...

Grandpa Wily gives me an incredulous look, before snickering and letting out a laugh at my guilty expression. "Oh. Alright then... Your funeral, I guess. She's going to chew your head off when she finds out, you know?" He chortles, making me go pale for a second before I manage to plaster a determined smile on my face.

"I know... But _whatever!_ She had it coming. She's been nothing but awful this past month! From keeping me busy so I couldn't visit you or Grandpa Light to even telling me earlier that robotic engineering was pretty much a waste of my time and life. She's the _worst_ sometimes! I can't believe Dad _married_ her! What in the name of Sam Hill was he thinki-?" I stop babbling to see Grandpa Wily staring at me rather awkwardly, like he doesn't know how to handle the sudden burst of the dam that is my teenage angst and fluster of emotions regarding my future. I calm myself down and offer him an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I didn't mean to dump all that on you..."

Grandpa Wily recomposes himself and smiles sadly, reaching over to put a hand on my shoulder. "By the looks of it, I think she's just worked up by what's happened with your dad... I'm sorry, Phyllis. It's my fault after all... I should never have accepted the job for building those war machines. What in the world was _I_ even thinking?" He asks himself with an emotionless chuckle, removing his hand and giving me one last smile. "Anyways, I suggest you give your mom a break. You don't have to agree with _everything_ she says, but just remember that she only tells you those kinds of things because she cares about you. Focus on that thought, alright?"

"Alright," I nod, despite not really wavered by his words. "I don't think it was your fault though, Grandpa. If it means anything... I don't blame you for what you did. We can't all be perfect, right? I mean, we'd have to be a god for that to apply to any of us- and I don't know about you, but I don't see Grandpa Light or anyone else hurling lightning bolts from a cloud in the sky. I think it's okay to make mistakes, since it shapes who we are in the endgame. As for my parents marriage... I think it's been hanging on by a thread for a while now- even before you lost your credentials."

I smile at him brightly, causing Grandpa Wily to stare in slight wonder.

"When you get them back though, I'll be ready to work with you again and show the world our creations!" I finish, grinning and giving him a hug. "I guess I'll talk to you after the unveiling. See you later, Grandpa Wily."

He nods and returns the embrace, turning away to leave via the exit at the back of the stage once he returns the smile. My eyes follow him leave, until I'm watching the curtain close behind him.

 _I really hope he doesn't blame himself for the slow separation that's occurring between my parents..._ I think, frowning towards the robot masters beside the edge of the stage.

"Ph-Phyllis, come here!" I hear a voice whisper, making me look up from my musings to see my blonde Phylbot, Roll, trying to grab my attention with Rock. The pair of robots have moved further away from the curtain and are motioning for me to head over towards them in a slight panic. Confused at their behavior, I stay where I am with a shrug and mouth, " _Why?"_ in confusion.

As soon as the curtain lifts from in front of me and the robot master lineup, I realize why. My entire body is struck with petrifaction as the crowd in Titanium Park all glace in my direction, expecting to see the robot masters- and _not_ an awkward looking green haired girl standing in front of them like a deer caught in headlights.

My mouth pops open slightly, and I can hear the now awakened Robot Masters chuckling to themselves when they see my lack of composure. I'm about to run over towards Rock and Roll, but Grandpa Light's voice stops me when he begins speaking again.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the next generation of robots- _the Robot Masters!_ And this young lady right here," Grandpa Light gestures towards me with a nervous grin in my direction, one that tells me to roll with whatever he's about to do. "Is my assistant. My granddaughter, Phyllis, who all by herself, created the robot masters Cut Man and Ice Man-" Cut twiddles his fingers out at the crowd with a cocky grin, whereas Ice simply waves with an awkward smile much like my own. "-When she was at the young age of fourteen!"

I give Grandpa Light a look of incredulity when the crowd immediately starts chattering amongst themselves and reporters begin furiously scribbling in what looks to be digital tablets of the expensive kind. Grandpa Light himself is beaming proudly. I guess it's okay for him to cash in on those bragging rights of his, I sure as hell am not confident enough to tell my peers at school, "Hey, I build these _super_ _cool_ _robots_ for a living! Can you _dig_ it?!"

Anyways...

"How were you able to understand robotics at such a young age?!" A robot reporter with pink hair that flares out at the bottom asks, holding a microphone up to the spot I'm at. From the corner of my eye, Grandpa Light looks relieved that the spotlight is no longer on him, making me leer sourly in his direction before walking over to the edge of the stage and regarding the reporter cautiously.

"I was always interested in what my grandfather was doing with his engineering skills. I just ended up tinkering around here and there until I managed to make my first robot," I explain, blushing a little at the looks I'm getting from a few of the onlookers. One of them in particular, a guy around my age or maybe Peter's age, is staring up at me in a rather strange manner from beside the pink haired reporter, holding the robot reporter up by her waist to get her microphone closer to me.

"And which of the two was your first?" She asks next, speaking into the mic and then holding it back up at me for my answer. She looks gleeful at the new exclusive news she's reporting on, and I decide to humor her by continuing to answer her queries.

"Neither. My first robot was designed to be a lab assistant- by the name of Roll. She's behind the curtain over there," I hear an indignant squeak from said blonde robot hiding behind the curtain, causing a slight smile to appear over my features. "...Though I won't subject her into making an appearance since even my _own_ appearance was an accident. After Roll, I created Cut and then Ice in that specific order."

"Wonderful!" The reporter says, smiling brightly at me and tapping the human man behind her to let her down. "Thank you for your time!"

I nod and just as I'm about to speak to everyone else in the crowd, the man that had been helping the reporter suddenly taps my shoe, prompting me to kneel down again to hear what he wants to ask.

"U-um, could I have your number?" The guy asks lowly enough that no one else expect those around us hears.

I almost double over in surprise at his words, feeling my face heat up uncomfortably. _What?!_

 _Did he just ask what I think he asked?_

I let out a nervous laugh, vaguely aware of my cheeks glowing when snickers from a few robot masters and make themselves known through the roar of the chatty crowd.

"That's very sweet, but I'm going to have to decline. I'm not really up for that right now- I'm way too busy for that kind of stuff. Sorry! All my time is usually spent on studying robotics and getting trained by my grandfathers. These dorks are pretty much my whole life," I joke, jabbing a thumb at the robots behind me and giggling when some begin indignantly objecting with "hey!"s and "what?!"s alike.

"What are you talking about? We're _totally_ dorks!" Cut is the only one to agree, grinning widely until Elec Man snorts and replies, "Speak for yourself..."

Ice sniffles a little from where he stands, causing Guts Man to glance down at his brother's shaking form and roll his eyes. "Hold it together, Ice..."

"But she's s-so _nice_ to us!" he whines, nose twitching as he visibly tries to keep his expression composed. He doesn't really have a sinus to cause sniffles to occur, but I added a program to both Cut and Ice that prompts a reaction similar to humans when overcome with emotions. It's to make them a little more humanistic, and I have to say- it's pretty believable.

The guy bites his lip and then continues with, "Just one date is all I ask for. Please?" He asks one more time, staring up at me unabashedly. In fact, it's almost looks like...

Like how Rock sometimes looks at me...?

"Yes...?" I suddenly find myself murmuring, prompting him to grin and pull pull the pen out of his companion robot-reporter's hand, eagerly holding it over his left hand. After a quick reciting of my number (with concealed reluctance and a mental scolding at myself for saying 'yes' to begin with), I stand back up and regard the rest of the crowd.

"As much as I would like to stay up here and model for the rest of you, I'll be handing the spotlight back to Doctor Light and taking my leave," I say, waving and turning away to stroll over behind the side curtains past the robot master line up.

When I reach Roll and Rock, they're both leering at me- probably due to me calling them dorks. I chuckle at their reactions. "What? You guys _are_ dorks. Loveable dorks, you know?" I say, making Roll crack a grin first despite her efforts not to.

"What did that guy in the crowd want anyways?" Rock just _has_ to ask, bringing my attention over to him. Oh shit, what do I say?! He's gonna get all mother hen-y on me if I tell him I have a date...!

"Nothing," I reply shortly, causing his eyes to narrow. Shit, that was too short and now he's suspicious! "It's not really important, do you really wanna know?"

"...I guess not," Rock replies after a second, while Roll gives me this look like she knows something we don't. When I raise a brow at her, she just changes the subject.

"Where are your parents and brothers, by the way?" Roll inquires while Rock relaxes his features behind her.

"My brothers should be here any moment. As for my parents, they aren't coming. In fact, Peter, Pate and I almost weren't coming either. Today's actually graduation day for me, and my mom wanted to make me go to _that_ boring sermon instead of the robot master unveiling. So Peter had an idea... And we stole Mom's car to attend the unveiling without our parents!" I declare proudly, hands on my hips.

"Um, _yeah,_ Phyllis, about that..." The sound of Pate's nervous voice behind Rock and Roll have me looking up from them, only to feel my stomach drop a little when our Mom follows behind my one anxious brother and my other irritated brother with a sharp glare of rage.

"I _cannot_ believe you," she hisses, stomping right up behind Rock and Roll so that the two robots jump aside when she nearly shoves past them rudely. "I told you we weren't going to attend and what did you do? You went and stole my car!"

"To be fair, it was entirely _my_ idea," Peter speaks up casually, crossing his arms and prompting our mom to only spare him a glance with a simple retort of, "Stay out of this, Peter, she agreed to it."

"What? So you can keep picking on her like she's your personal punching bag? Ever since you've heard about Grandpa Wily, you've been taking it out on Phyllis," Peter calls our mom out on her recent behavior, causing her to whirl around and face him.

"I am _not._ She is _my_ daughter, not _yours_. And she's grounded for the rest of the month," Mom snaps back at him.

"She's _eighteen._ A legal adult- you can't ground her over something stupid like this, she's old enough to decided what she wants to do with her own time," Peter replies smoothly, glaring mom down so that the rest of us- Pate, Rock, Roll, and I- watch the two verbally duke it out in awe.

Mom gives Peter and incredulous look. "Oh, really? Fine. She's eighteen, you're right. She can make her own decisions and support herself on her own. What in the world was I thinking? Of _course_ I can't ground her!"

Our mom turns away from Peter to face me, wearing a stern look of anger as she meet my gaze. My stomach twists, as if I can already tell that Peter has really messed things up for me this time. Sometimes his word choices got himself, Pate, and I in trouble during the past, but they were never as serious as this instance. He just handed our mother the golden opportunity to do her worst, and I know she's going to grab that chance to do it. Whether she will regret it later would be a mystery to me though.

"Phyllis. When you get home, I want you to grab whatever you want from your room... _And get out."_

My eyes must be pretty wide, but rather than give me a chance to redeem myself for the poor choice of words my older brother picked out, Mom spins around on her heel and storms out of the backstage, leaving the rest of us standing there in equal shock and confusion.

...

"Sh-she didn't really mean that, did she...?" Pate asks Peter, who now looks incredibly guilty as he faces our youngest sibling.

"I, uh..." Peter trails off, clearly not sure about what had occurred.

"...I think she _did_ mean it," Roll whispers in shock, as if she feels she isn't allowed to input her opinion on the matter.

"Jeez, I can't believe that's Dr. Light's daughter," Rock states, jaw slightly agape as he stares at the exit where the woman had stormed out from.

Peter walks closer towards me. "Phyllis, I'm so sorr-" Peter begins, until I hold up a hand and give him an understanding smile.

"It's okay, Peter. It's not your fault..." I turn away with a small snicker. "...Entirely."

Despite my little joke to brighten everyone up, it doesn't seem to do much other than leave everyone staring at the ground or zoning out with worry. I sigh heavily at their reactions and plant my hands on my hips, shooting them all frowns.

"Why are you guys so glum? It's me that got kicked out of the house, not you! Besides, I'm not going to be out on the _streets_ or anything. I've got two wonderful Grandfathers, both of whom would be quite willing to take me in for whatever reason! I mean, you guys wouldn't let me hang out in the wilderness and streets during that time when I was going all cra- uh, you know. Anyways, I doubt you'll let me do it this time either," I speak up again, patting Peter's shoulder and smiling up at him brightly. "If anything, this is a _good_ thing! Now I don't have to sit through awkward dinners with Mom and Dad mad dogging each other across the table!"

Pate laughs a little at this. "And you won't have to do all our chores anymore," he adds, making Peter giggle.

"And you won't have to do anymore errands like babysitting for free," Peter chuckles, causing my face to twist in disgust. This only makes Peter laugh even more.

"I _hate_ toddlers," I state definitively, making Rock look up at me and raise a brow in question.

"Really? Weren't you a toddler once though?" The brunette robot asks, making me sigh and look at him.

"Yes, but that's not the thing. As a toddler, I thought everything I did- this includes licking plastic plant decor and eating snails- was alright for me to do. Now that I'm older, I see that it's not. And watching these human midgets' with baby teeth and snot wave their slobbered lollipops close to me and drooling like bulldogs on my pants is beyond _gross._ No thanks. I don't want children. I'm good," I state, watching as Rock starts grinning at my explanation with humorous pity.

"Oh, Phyllis... Children are a wonderful thing! You'll understand when you get a little older, I'm sure."

I turn when Grandpa Light speaks up, surprising Rock and Roll on either side of me. He gives me a smile and places an arm over my shoulder, clearly having heard our conversation regarding my status at the house and why I haven't visited in so long.

"…I'm confused about why she didn't kick _me_ out either. I swear, that woman is totally singling Phyllis out," Peter comments.

"That's alright, Peter. We understand that you were only trying to defend your sister, you don't have to beat yourself up about it," Grandpa Light comments gently, resulting in Peter turning away and crossing his arms. Obviously he still blames himself, despite our reassurances.

"In any case, I don't think I want to go back home tonight… I'll probably go kick back at my girlfriend's place or something," Peter says, making me glance over at him in shock.

"Wait, when the heck did _you_ get yourself a girlfriend?" I ask blatantly, catching Peter's attention.

"I've been in a relationship for two years already, Phyllis, where have you been?" Peter sourly replies, while I nod and plaster a serious look on my face.

"I see, I see…" I nod, touching my chin in clear interest and frowning at him thoughtfully. "So what's her name?"

"Nosey much? Her name's Lorelai," Peter answers anyways, pulling out his Comm. Device no doubt to message her and make the inquiry.

"Nice name," I continue, before a snarky grin curls at my lips while he stares at the screen of his communicator. "And what breed is she? Labrador? German Shepherd? Shih Tzu?"

Peter looks up with a twitching eye, while I cackle and snicker as I make my way past Pate and to the exit.

Grandpa Light later scolds me when I pretty much give reporters another reason to be interested in me by running out past Titanium Park with my evil older brother hot on my heels.

* * *

 **A/N: Getting back in my writing groove~**

 **FYI, all chapters prior to this new chapter have been edited, with some heavy changes in chapter 4 and chapter 5. If you wanna check it out, you can, and if you don't... I guess that's ok too? Ya might miss out on some details if you don't though.**


	7. P 1 - Ch 7: Most Awkward, Relative Norm

**Part 1 - Ch. 7: Most Awkward, Yet Relative Normalcy**

 **(Few Hours Later)**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

For the longest time, I sit on a chair in the lab re-reading my text messages over and over again.

That guy from the Robot Unveiling earlier this morning... His name is apparently Chris. In spite of the horribly generic name I will probably forget in the next ten minutes, he seems charming enough. He cracked a few jokes over our messages that make me at least smile a little and he was an overall... nice guy.

Which is sadly just that- a nice guy. With nothing going for him other than a few jokes and having the innate ability to keep a conversation going even when it seems like we've hit a dead end, he isn't the most desirable bachelor to my specific tastes, so to speak...

However, the attention is certainly nice. Kind of addicting even, if I have to admit it. A welcome distraction while Grandpa Light, Rock, and Roll race around the lab to clean up the messes that had accumulated over the past years. I'd done my share, and after much begging from Roll to take a break, I am doing exactly that.

 **Chris:** _"So I was thinking we could go on that one date tomorrow at 6pm... If you're free, that is ;)"_

I feel my cheeks flush red as I see that winky face at the end of his message, ducking my head so my hair hides my blushing face from any and all. All we're doing is planning our date- not staging a booty-call! I should _not_ be this embarrassed or excited for something that's for only one night!

"Phyllis, you okay?"

I jump in my seat and turn to see Ice gazing down at me from the back of my chair, blinking curiously when he sees my red face.

"F-fine!" I squeak, thrusting my comm. device screen down so my phylbot is unable to see anything. "You?"

"Me? You know I'm alright!" He pauses and lifts his gaze up to look in Roll's direction, right before sighing sensually with a dreamy smile. "I'm _always_ alright when I'm around Roll..."

I roll my eyes and grin, watching him gravitate towards the more or less oblivious blonde robot that swept the floors with her broomstick. Once he's gone, I turn my comm. device around again and start typing a reply.

 **Phyllis:** _"That works for me. Gonna tell me where we're going to meet up at, Casanova?"_

That one's pretty bold. I should tone down my flirt level... No need to lead him on when I can see this is going to go nowhere.

"Whew, so he's the one, eh?"

I jump in my seat again, this time yelping and nearly falling off of my seat until I feel a hand pin my chair down in place before I can go flying forward. Upon turning around _this_ time, I see Cut grinning slyly over my shoulder. I can't hide it from him, that much I already know... He was standing right behind me when Chris asked me out on that date, after all.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Cut Man teases, poking my nose and making me frown up at him irritably.

"He's not _the one,_ I'm humoring him by agreeing to go on a date with him. Just _one._ That is all," I retort calmly, feeling my comm. device vibrate with a new message.

Cut gives me a look. "Hmm, that's funny, 'cause you keep getting this goofy grin on your face every time I see you lookin' at your communicator... I'm no expert, but if that ain't a sign that it's love at first sight, I don't know what is," he says with a snicker. I make no move to open my message- not while Cut is reading over my shoulder like he's all that and a bag of chips.

"I am not! He's not that special at all. He's pretty forgettable, actually... He's got a generic name, his sense of humor is less than exemplary... He's not much fun either. I'd like a guy who can be both brave and easygoing- or a guy who can make me smile and laugh effortlessly. This guy tries a little too hard," I explain, reaching up to fix my hair ribbon as I converse with Cut. "And most of all, I want a guy who's got dedication. This Chris guy looks like a flake..."

"Hmm... A fun guy who's both brave and easygoing that can make you smile and is dedicated... So basically a guy like Rock, right?"

"Yea- Wait, _what?!_ Don't put words into my mouth!" I bark, jumping to my feet with an accusatory glare at Cut's trollish grin. "And keep your voice down!"

Cut mouth forms in the shape of an 'O'. "Oooo, you don't want Rocky-boy to know about your DAA- _mmph!"_ I slap my hand over his mouth when he starts to raise his voice at the tail end of his sentence.

"Of course not, you moron! He'll get all mother hen-y on me and stuff!" I complain, while Cut reaches up to peel my hand off of his smirk.

"Correction: He'll get all _jealous,"_ Cut practically sings, giving me a wink. "And I'm sure you're already well aware of _it,_ aren't you? You can't deny it anymore, Doc-ette..."

I narrow my eyes on Cut sharply, honestly unsure of what he's getting at. "I don't know what you're talking about... Regardless, if I wanted Rock to know about it, I would tell him _myself,"_ I hiss, crossing my arms and cocking my hips towards the left.

"Tell me what?" I hear Rock's voice say more than ask from behind me. I nearly jump seven feet in the air turning to face him.

"Phyllis is going on a date with some flirty guy who's as forgettable as a tissue," Cut blurts with a big smile- not looking _one bit_ regretful for his words. I swivel my head to shoot him the nastiest glare in my arsenal. "Her words, not mine, by the way."

Before I can make a swipe at Cut Man to re-engineer him _unrecognizable_ , he makes a mad dash out of the lab with a delighted yip of laughter. Rather than stick around in the lab to see the repercussions of Cut's words on Rock, I race after Cut with a wrench and my communicator at hand like a mad woman.

"Phyllis?" I turn at the top of the lab stairs to see Grandpa Light looking up at me curiously, a small smile playing at his lips when he sees the irritated flash in my eyes that Cut stirred up. "Can I talk to you outside?"

 _Oh no, this better not be the birds and the bees talk- I'm not even planning to stick around this forgettable guy!_ I think, nodding anyways and walking over to the front door where I wait for Grandpa Light to join me.

He walks the rest of the way up and follows me out, closing the door behind us and leading me towards a bench at the end of the front yard where we both sit at.

...Insert awkward tension here.

"Um, Gramps, listen... If this is about 'the talk', I've already gotten it and you don't have to worry since this is only one date-" I begin, only for Grandpa Light to start chuckling in amusement.

"No, Phyllis, I didn't bring you out here to talk about that," he says casually, as if the only one feeling awkward is me... Which is probably the case.

I cock my head to the side in confusion, watching him smile as he turns to fully face me and take my hands.

"This is about Rock," Grandpa Light finishes.

He has my undivided attention at this point, and grins wider when he notices.

"What about Rock...?" I inquire in confusion, eagerly waiting for a reply. I'm not really sure what exactly I _want_ to hear, but whatever it is, I'm all ears for now.

"...I want you to remember that he is a _robot._ Yes he has feelings and he might be able to show affection, but in the end he is inorganic and unsuitable in the long run if you return his feelings," Grandpa Light says, and when I begin to visibly panic and open my mouth to correct him, he holds up a finger to his lips. "Let me finish."

I clamp my mouth shut.

"I want you to be gentle with his feelings, but don't encourage him. And don't stop yourself from dating other people because you wish to spare his feelings, understood?" He says, prompting me to nod without hesitation. "Good~!"

I finally open my mouth to add in my own input. "But Gramps, are you sure about Rock even having feelings for me? I know Cut was saying it's obvious, but I just don't see it! He doesn't look like he has a crush on me at all- he just looks like he wants to hang around his best friend!" I claim disbelievingly, watching Grandpa Light laugh lightly.

"On some occasions, the line between 'best friend' and 'suitable partner' can be blurred, Phyllis. I'm not sure if the other robots have mentioned it, but Rock is very attached to you- more so than Roll, if I have to admit it, and you know how attached _she_ is," Grandpa Light explains easily, rubbing my palms and turning them up so he can see the blue dotted circles that decorate them. "...Well, that's all I wanted to talk to you about for now. Shall we head on in?"

I'm about to nod and agree until I remember something I've been wanting to talk about to him all morning. "Oh, wait! I wanted to show you something I'm working on at Grandpa Wily's lab. He has no idea he exists yet and it's right under his nose too, heehee," I say, pulling a paper out of my pocket and unfolding it to reveal the clean schematics of my Project Zero. "I figured I'd try and acquaint myself with the android schematics of... _You know who..._ And although I don't remember everything I saw in X's blueprints, I did my best to recreate it and make a few shortcuts as well."

Grandpa Light takes the schematics of Zero from me with a curious smile, eyes scanning the paper for a minute or two before he looks up at me brightly. "My word, Phyllis, some of these 'shortcut's you've done are brilliant! Goes to show that young minds really are far more progressive than us old folks, eh? Mind if we apply some of these tricks to X as well? I know you don't believe us when Wily and I say it, but you truly are a magnificent robotic engineer. You're definitely going to make history!" He compliments me upon reading the blueprints, reaching over to rub the back of my head with praise.

"It's not _that_ amazing," I bashfully mutter as he stands up with my papers, leaving me blushing on the bench to give myself some space from the lab. Once he walks into the house, I completely extend across the bench and stare up at the blue sky until I recall the unread message I have on my communicator.

 **Chris:** _"I'll meet you at the Stardust Restaurant near Titanium Park, it's an easy find and a classy place. You sure you don't want me to pick you up from your place? It's really no bother."_

I cringe at the mere thought. After our date, I don't really fancy the idea of him knowing where I live... Hopefully he doesn't think to look up my grandfathers homes or else I'm _doomed_ since I won't be living at home-home anymore...

For now at least. Hopefully Mom wises up and realizes her folly soon- then I really _won't_ have any trouble if Chris turns out to be a stalker!

 **Phyllis:** _"Oh, no, that's okay. I'd rather just meet up there- my house is a mess! I don't really want anyone to see it's state."_

I lift my head from my communicator to look ahead at Grandpa Light's house, seeing through the window and rolling my eyes when I see Roll already vehemently sweeping down the living room. "My house is a mess" my foot... This house couldn't get messy with Roll around and just the thought makes me snort with laughter.

"...Oh, shoot, what am I supposed to wear?" I murmur to myself when I think about the restaurant we will be visiting, only to be halted from sending another message when I receive one from him at the same time.

 **Chris:** _"Alright, sweetheart, if you say so."_ I pause to cringe at the familiar nickname right here. _"Don't forget to dress fancy~ ;)"_

I cringe again. Dress fancy...? I don't have any fancy clothes! Well, other than the red dress I'm still wearing... But I can't wear that two days in a row, that would be weird... Right? Or would it not?

"Augh...! This is a bad idea. I should quit before I dig a deeper grave," I say out loud to myself, face palming at hygienic and stylistic confusion.

"I think you should give him a shot."

"AAH!" I jump to my feet and spin around, only to stare dryly at Rock. "What is it with you robots and popping up behind me? Are you getting a kick out of scaring the living daylights out of me?"

Rock tilts his head slightly towards the side... "What? I said your name three times. You weren't listening is all," he answers with a smile of amusement.

 _...Oh god, is he mad? Wait, if he's mad, then why does he think I should give that guy a shot?_ I think in surprise, before staring at Rock to continue his input on the matter.

"Well, that's just my opinion, but before you judge a character, it's better to talk to them face to face. Don't you think? I mean, they could mean anything over text- and you humans communicate better when you have body language to observe," Rock explains, resting his arms on the backrest of the bench casually.

"...I don't want to. I didn't even _mean_ to say yes. I don't wanna date _anyone._ I'd like to live my life and die as a spinster," I comment sourly, turning away with a scowl towards the ground.

"Phyllis, don't say that. Aren't you interested in finding true love? Isn't that what all humans want?" Rock asks, prompting me to relax my features and look at him quietly in thought. When I stare a little too long for comfort, Rock blinks in confusion and glances around curiously. "What?"

"...I don't believe in love like that. Look where it got my parents," I finish after a minute of silence, turning away to head back into the house and find my wallet.

I hear Rock murmur something with a slightly sour tone from behind me, but when I turn to give him a questioning look, surprise coats his features and he shakes his head- a signal that it's nothing important.

 _I wonder if Grandpa Light had a talk with Rock about me too..._ I think to myself as we enter the house together, avoiding each other's gazes after Grandpa Light's food-for-thought regarding Rock liking me. Well, whatever. If Rock does have a crush on me, I don't care much for it. I certainly don't return the feelings- after all... He is a robot...

I don't actually think this date with Sir Forget-me-Lots will be a disaster- I might even have fun for all I know. For some reason though, I can't help but feel irritated by Rock's words.

 _Aren't you interested in finding true love?_

 _Isn't that what all humans want?_

NO! Not all humans wanna find... _"love"!_ Some of us just wanna adventure with interesting people and have a good time! Besides, Rock should _already_ _know_ how much I hate the idea of "true love" we've totally had a conversation on the matter a while ago, and I made it very clear that I wasn't interested in the idea of love! So why is he now pushing me off _towards_ Forget-me-Lots?! Does he just forget things about me all the time?! I thought we were best friends! That _jerk!_ You know what?! MAYBE I ACTUALLY _WILL_ FIND TRUE LOVE WITH FORGET-ME-LOTS! HA! TAKE THAT!

...Wait.

I mentally curse when I feel my cheeks begin to get warm, and I fist the hand on my other side hard enough to make crescent nail imprints on my palm where the blue marks from three years past are. That's weird, why am I suddenly feeling... _nausea?_ Is that nausea?

My heart gives a painful thud inside my ribcage and my fingers feel clammy. I've never felt like this before- what _is_ it? Am I that angry?!

 _YES,_ my brain rationalizes, so I do the only thing I feel is warranted upon that thought.

I speed up my walking pace and do my best to ignore the racing blood in my veins, despite how loudly they're pounding in my ears. My body feels stiff and heavy, like I have weights attached to each limb. What the hell?

"Phyllis, are you okay?" I hear Rock ask, making me turn to face him. My expression isn't a frown or anything, more like an uneasy smile as I look down at his shorter form and open my mouth to say...

"I'm feeling weight!" My eyes nearly bug out at my statement, my hand flying up to my lips in shock when Rock raises a single brow in confusion. "I mean your weight! N-no, not weight! I mean _your_ great! My great? Eh?!"

Rock's blue eyes widen, shocked and still obviously puzzled by my blathering as I slap my hand loudly against my face in horror. WHAT?! Phyllis, what's _wrong_ with you?! Get a grip!

"I... Excuse me," I mumble with a mouth of cotton after a second, turning away quickly to hide the rush of blood that is quickly filling more of my cheeks by the second.

Needless to say, I grab my wallet from my bedroom and make haste to get out of there as soon as possible.

"Hey, where are you off to?" I hear Roll say when I pass by a room she's cleaning upstairs with a power walk.

"To jump off a bridge," I answer, causing the blonde 'bot to gape after me and prop her broomstick against a wall of the room before she races after me.

"Wait! What's wrong?" She asks, running after me as I dart towards the door without a direct glance at Rock, who I see out of the corner of my eye lounging on the couch of the living room with Ice for whatever reason I can't possibly fathom by the mere thoughts I'm thinking as I march by them.

 _I must look like an idiot. He's not looking at me, is he? Wait, why do I care about him thinking I'm an idiot? He already knows I'm an idiot! ..._ _ **He already knows I'm an idiot.**_ _T-that's not important! Stop walking like a statue! Stop staring so intensely at the door! AUGH! I hate how_ angry _I am!_

I release a soft growl between clenched teeth, pushing the front door open and nearly throwing it off it's hinges. Immediately, I see Grandpa Light walking up from the other side. My words refuse to stay in my brain when we meet eyes, that soft smile of his only bringing bad vibes against my heavy emotions and confusion.

"Phyllis, are you going somewhere?" He asks when he sees my wallet at hand.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I am! I'm going to the mall! To buy a fancy dress! So I can go on a stupid date! And fall stupidly in love! And have _stupid_ children! And become a _STUPID_ WIFE! PROBABLY! I DON'T REALLY KNOW! BUT APPARENTLY THAT'S WHAT ALL HUMANS WANT, SO I _BETTER GET TO IT!"_ I blurt out, rage rising as I exclaim every little thing floating around in my head.

By the time I finish and stop to catch my uneven breath, Grandpa Light is staring at me like I've lost my marbles. His fingers drum lightly against the back of the clipboard he holds before he reaches up to press a button on the top corner of his glasses that makes a small red light at the other end switch off.

" I was going to save this for our digital scrapbook... But I assume you probably don't want this version, right...?" Grandpa Light says with an awkward laugh as my left eye twitches irritably. I take in a deep breath and relax my features for a second once I remember who I'm speaking to.

"...I'm sorry. I have somewhere to be at so I can die," I say after my moment of silence to calm myself down. No doubt that all the robots are pretty shocked from the silence emitting behind me as I slide past Grandpa Light and down the brightly lit street.

* * *

 **(Ten Minutes Later)**

My dress skirt blows gently behind my swiftly walking feet as I reach up to rip my pink ribbon off, shoving it in my bra and allowing my long braid to gently swing with my movements behind me. Such a fancy dress to be wearing it while shopping, but I figured it was a waste of time to change out of it after my episode with the robots and Grandpa Light. Especially when I just wanted to be _out of that house._

I already have a purchase with a very nice and short black and gold dress, which is actually much nicer than I was originally willing to buy for such a dumb date.

...Every time I think about it, all I hear are Rock's annoying words.

 _Blah, blah, blah... Whatever! He doesn't know anything about humanity!_ I think, my grip tightening on my bag as I find a bench and take a seat under a shady tree with crossed arms- whipping my head towards the left quickly when a loose lock of my hair gets in my face. Could I even _be_ more irritated than I already am?

"Hey, aren't you Phyllis? The granddaughter of Doctor Light and Doctor Wily?" A female voice suddenly speaks up from my right, prompting my expression to switch to surprise as I turn my head to see a woman with a red parka and denim shorts eyeing me with slight distaste.

"Yes. Why?" I ask, using every ounce of my control to suppress my curt tone when I meet her gaze. Obviously she's got beef with me- that look on her face says it all. However, due to being in a controversial field I already know that acting as rude as she's planning on acting will only make things worse for me... So I sit there and wait for her to insult me.

"Aren't you ashamed of making a soulless puppet when you were fourteen?" She demands shamelessly, while I blink at her innocently.

"No," I answer, keeping it short and sweet so she doesn't get any more ammunition against me.

"Well you should be. You're a _devil,"_ She finishes with a hiss before slinking off along the streets of the outdoor mall. I just snicker under my breath after her. A devil, huh? Not the worst insult I've gotten. In fact, that almost isn't an insult at all! Figures that people would start coming up to me and calling me "satan's helper" after Grandpa Light's announcement of my work on Ice and Cut.

...Roll, is _not_ soulless puppet though. And that woman can go screw herself for even mentioning something like that.

My comm. device vibrates in my bra, prompting me to pull it out along with my ribbon to check my messages.

 **WGramps:** _"Phyllis. Can. Watch. Lab?"_

I giggle at Grandpa Wily's many punctuations, my irritation quelling immediately. Him and Grandpa Light are _horrendous_ at texting, and this is just one instance of what would happen if they tried to send a message to anyone themselves.

 **Phyllis:** _"On my way~!"_

I get up and start walking in the opposite direction of that woman with the bad attitude, smiling to myself. The walk to the mall from Grandpa Light's place wasn't too far, but to get to Grandpa Wily's place, I would have to take one bus transport. I'd have to message Grandpa Light to let him know I wouldn't be coming back tonight... Usually watching Grandpa Wily's lab meant he was going off to do some business with someone, so that meant I'd have the place all to myself...

...Well, myself and _Zero_ that is!

 **Phyllis:** _"I'm going to watch Grandpa Wily's home tonight- can you send me a snap of Zero's schematics? You sort of took them with you and I still want to tinker with it on my own time."_

I look up in time to see the bus stop near the end of the mall, where people are already boarding the bus and prepared to take off. My legs speed up and I hop on in once I'm there, sliding my money card into the card slot as I jump in and find a good seat at the front.

I feel a message arrive on my communicator.

 **LGramps:** _"Oh, I see. Do you have everything you need over there? I can have Rock bring some of your things if you would like."_

NOOOOO!

 **Phyllis:** _"No, that's fine! I have a bunch of things here already- I'm moving in with him after all. Btw, thanks for helping Grandpa Light with texting, Roll :P"_

I blow a breath of relief after speedily replying before anyone can send Rock anywhere near me. My heart has sped up again, irritably enough to make me squirm in my seat. Why do I keep getting so mad about something that obviously wasn't meant to hurt me? He's a robot, they don't understand humans! It's not his fault!

My communicator grabs my attention again.

 **LGramps:** _"Actually, it's Rock. ;P"_

WHHHHHYYYYY?!

I nearly throw my comm. device on the ground when that frustrating heat climbs all over my body, causing me to put my communicator down so I can fan my face with my hands.

 _Okay, so it's Rock... That's no big deal! You've texted Rock many times before! He isn't even in your face this time, calm your rage down... And answer calmly. He won't know anything's up- just play it cool!_

 **Phyllis:** _"Oh, okay."_

COULD I BE MORE OBVIOUS?!

Surprisingly enough I don't have any time to even catch my slightly labored breathing when a message immediately arrives seconds after.

 **LGramps:** _"Are you mad at me? I'm sorry if I said something that got you mad earlier- I didn't mean to make you upset. I really care about you, Phyllis, and if I've done something to hurt you, I really am sorry."_

...

As I read this message over and over, my heart pounds even louder. I can hear it drowning out the chatter of pedestrians on the bus- thumping over the sound of the bus as it screeches to a halt to let a person out at their stop. My hands are still as sweaty as they had been before... So I'm still obviously mad... Yet I feel a sensation of relief and comfort at the sight of Rock's apology- for something he has no blame for _whatsoever_?

 _What is this strange feeling? And if it's not anger, what is it?_

I text a message back.

 **Phyllis:** _"I don't know what's wrong with me, I'm so sorry. It's not your fault at all- I'm just being a dramatic teenage drama queen with first-date nerves. I didn't want go on this date in the first place, but now I feel pressured to give this Sir Forget-Me-Lots a chance I'm already sure will not spark anything."_

The reply from Rock is instant.

 **LGramps:** _"Dramatic teenage drama queen? That's a little harsh, isn't it? Listen, if you don't want to go on that date, you don't HAVE to. It's perfectly fine to back out, if you explain it to him, I'm sure the Tissue will understand."_

I giggle at his nickname for Forget-Me-Lots and look up to quickly check if I've missed my stop, but thankfully, I'm just a ways away and can reply before I get there. Rock's second message reaches me before I can though.

 **LGramps:** _"Sorry, I meant Chris."_

 **Phyllis:** _"I don't care, the Tissue works perfectly fine too :)"_

I reach up and press the button to request my stop, clinging to my purchase bag and standing up just as the bus comes to a screeching halt. With a much brighter smile than I had on prior to getting on the bus, I give the bus driver a cheerful grin and a "thanks" on the way out, which he nods at respectfully while I step out into the streets again. When the bus takes off, I receive a new message.

 **LGramps:** _(1 Attachment)_

I save the photo of Zero's schematics on my communicator as I traverse up the street, up until I reach Grandpa Wily's house (and my new home), using my key to get inside.

"I'm here, Gramps!" I call out, just as I spot him coming down the stairs with a suitcase at hand. "I'll see you when you get back tomorrow."

"Definitely. I'll bring pizza, yeah?" He says with a grin, kissing my cheek before he's out the door and walking over to his car. I lean against the doorway and watch him pull out, giving me one more wave that I return before he is driving down the street towards whatever business trip he is off to this time.

 _Okay, no more distractions! Time to work on Zero!_ I think definitively, closing the front door and locking behind me with a smile of excitement. _I can't wait to show Grandpa Light!_

* * *

 **A/N: I... I did the thing again and went on a tangent... I originally wanted to put this date thing in, but then took it out after... But I ended up putting it in again to give more character to Phyllis...**


	8. P 1 - Ch 8: Fearful Feelings

**Part 1 - Ch. 8: Fearful Feelings**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

"A tinker here and a tinker there... And...! DONE!" I chirp in excitement, immediately dropping my wrench so it clatters against the ground at my feet. My body is thoroughly wiped out from continuously leaning over the finished synthetic exterior of Zero, but despite the pains I'm getting in my lower backside, I settle for stretching out my kinks quickly and returning to my duties by grabbing the refillable and homemade green 'E' flask near me. Just as I move to pour some past his lips though, I pause.

I hesitate to wake Zero up, having stopped myself with the metallic green flask midway tilted to his lips so that the golden cursive 'E' shines in the light as I tilt it. This would essentially be the first time I've woken one of my robots up while alone... Normally one of my grandfathers is around when I wake them up, but of course I currently have Grandpa Wily's place all to myself.

I use my other hand to move his long blonde ponytail beside him evenly, leaving it resting against his white and gray armor- which was something I settled on after much thought- _before_ deciding I would just find more time to upgrade it properly a little later.

 _Don't be so hasty, you can wait to wake him up so that you do it with your grandfathers around. Just use this hiatus as free time to make a better armor for him!_

Nyeh, but I want him awake _now._ Plus, this will give me a chance to see if he has any types of faults in his system programming. After all, making Zero is _a lot_ more complicated than making Roll, Cut, or Ice. Precision is almost mandatory this time- and every precise detail involved perfection down to the dot.

I raise the flask again, only to suddenly sigh and place it back down on the table beside Zero when I decide what's best and force myself to ignore temptation. A small smile plays along my lips as I reach over and run a hand over the side of Zero's arm affectionately.

"Just wait a little longer for me, okay? You'll wake up soon, I promise," I murmur to the offline robot, right before leaning over to give Zero a gentle peck over his forehead. Once I pull away, I strap him back in on the table and move to flip up the collapsible table with Zero still on it... Only to end up deciding against hiding him when I recall that no one is home to see him other than myself anyways.

With a small shrug, I leave the 'E' beside Zero and scoop up my communicator from beside his feet, checking my social media accounts as I walk towards the exit of the lab and reach up to switch of the light beside the stairs. With my eyes still glued to my communicator, I stop halfway from putting out the light when the sound of something clattering against the ground comes from behind me- far within the lab.

I turn my head with a flinch, eyes wide as two full moons. Fear grips my heart for a moment, sinking it's sharp claws in the fragile flesh of my already traumatized heart... Until my eyes register the empty can of soda I'd left at the far back of the room, which has evidently fallen to the ground due to the fan in the far back blowing into it until it reached the edge.

I relax the tension in my muscles and shake my head with a laugh of relief, touching the cold sweat over my forehead and wiping it away. I'm pathetic... All of those scares from the past happened long time ago. I've _grown out_ of hallucinating like that, what am I worried for?

With a big smile that doesn't quite reach my eyes entirely, I walk back over to the back of the lab to collect my fallen trash, crushing the aluminum in on itself before taking it out of the lab and turning off the lights.

 _Just relax, Phyl, don't forget the hype! I can't wait to tell Grandpa Light of my 'surprise' once I finish Zero's armor!_ I think with a vocal yip of glee- only to feel my comm. device vibrate as I come up into the kitchen and shut the basement door behind me. I pull out my communicator, curious as to who is messaging me at... Nine PM? Wow, it's early! I should probably find something to eat before it gets too late- chips and soda are _not_ sufficient sources of energy and vitamins...

I hum a tune as I gravitate over towards the fridge, pulling a door open as I navigate to my messages on my comm. device.

 **Home:** _"Rock here. Um, I gotta ask something. Did Doctor Light happen come up to you about a talk regarding certain... "Feelings"... We might have for each other?"_

I purse my lips so hard that it looks like I've bitten into a lemon. He's _confronting_ me about this?! Right _now?!_ At _this_ hour?! Shoot, what do I say? Do I pretend to not be here?

My lips revert back to their normal shape as I place my communicator on a counter and step back from it, hoping that he won't get persistent to-

 _Bzzzzzt!_

I open the new message with shaking fingers.

 **Home:** _"I'm going to assume that your lack of a response is just your human way of trying to preserve your dignity in the face of a confrontation regarding "feelings" either one of us might have."_

I shriek as I read the message, but slap my hand over my mouth to stop it before it can increase in volume. He knows me _too_ well...! This is a disaster!

 _Bzzzzzt!_

Go away, Rock! Don't you have a lab and a house to clean?!

 **Home:** _"Now that I think about it... This is why you were acting funny earlier today, isn't it?"_

STOP TALKING, STOP TALKING!

 _Bzzzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt! Bzzzt!_

 _This punk is calling me, oh my god!_ I think with horror, staring down at the phone on the counter with a cringe of fear. _He can't! He can't make me talk! I refuse to speak to him about this!_ _It's embarrassing...!_

The comm. device stops buzzing when the call drops- and another text soon follows after it.

 **Home:** _"Fine. I'm coming over now, I have Doctor Wily's spare house key."_

Insert scream of terror here.

 **Home:** _"There's nothing you can do to stop me or change my mind. See you in five- I run REALLY. FAST. When I'm motivated."_

That's an obvious threat if I've ever seen one. "I- gah! W-wait! Damn it, Rock!" I shout in panic, leaving my communicator to rot on the counter as I run upstairs like a road runner and dart into the bathroom. "Ngah...!"

I lock the door behind me and turn the shower on, jumping in fully clothed and closing the stall door as ice cold water pouring down over my fully dressed form. My body jerks with a small shriek of surprise as soon as I feel the temperature, tensing up yet somehow unable to bring myself to turn the water warm... Maybe this cold water is for the best? I _am_ kind of panicking here...

After a minute or so, my body relaxes under the cold water and I slide down onto my bum, feeling my red dress cling tightly to my body as I reach down into my bra to yank my soaked pink ribbon out, tying it around my wrist like a bracelet despite the water pouring over me.

...Stupid idea- why did I jump in here fully clothed?! Was I even using my head when I jumped in here? Or is Rock making me go brain dead now with his presence? 'Cause… Actually, that would explain the stuttering mess of words earlier today.

"Knock, knock, Phyllis~!" Rock's cheerful voice flits through the cracks of the bathroom door, prompting my heart to jump to my throat. ALREADY?! "Don't bother playing dumb by the way- I noticed your communicator downstairs and took the liberty of checking to see if you got my messages. Seems like they've all been opened."

I swallow a thick block of ice, eyes wide and mouth in a convincingly permanent grimace. The cold water is starting to feel rather hot all of a sudden... And my heart is beating extremely fast again, like it's going crazy under my thorax. I look up and let cold water roll over my face in an attempt to cool down more, but it doesn't feel like it's enough. I wish he would _go away._

"I'll wait out here for you until you're done, 'kay?" He cheekily adds, to which I groan very loudly at if only to assure him that I'm not dying in here or anything. Considering the situation though, I sort of _wish_ I am...

 _What do I answer him with? ...Well, "no" of course! I haven't had feelings for him from before Grandpa Light telling me about it to now! I'm not attracted to Rock- that's just_ silly _! He's a robot- one that looks like a preteen child. Why in the world would I be interested in him like_ that _?_

I sigh to myself and run my hand through my hair to push the locks of my long bangs out of my face. So my answer should just be the truth. That's easy, it's just _me_ being _honest_ about _my_ _feelings_! To be exact, that I _don't_ have a romantic interest in Rock _at all_. That all this anxiety around him- my flubbing of sentences and stammering- is just the effect of over thinking a relatively simple misunderstanding brought upon by my nosey Grandpa Light and his incorrect ideas!

"You can't stay in there forever, you'll turn into a prune," Rock reminds me after a little bit, prompting me to lift a hand to see my skin already growing overly moist with wet creases. Of course, even the skin of my palms with the blue markings are no exception to this change. He's right... And I hate it.

After an internal debate on how long I can possibly stay in there before I start looking like chewed up gum after a nuclear fallout, I give in to my inevitable fate and stand up, shutting the comfortably freezing water off and marching straight over to the door. With little to no hesitation (because my thought process has all but shriveled up with my brain by now), I open the door much to Rock's obvious surprise by the look on his face.

His eyes take in my look of defeat before travelling down to my once dry and airy red dress, which is now sticking to me like a second skin and showing off all my curves under it like a body suit. Rock raises a single brow in question at my sorry state but all I do is manually push him aside to make my way to the guest room- where I keep some clothes of mine in case I'm ever asked to watch Grandpa Wily's house unprepared.

"Cold...?" Rock asks in confusion when I pull my hand from his shoulder, watching after me as I begin undoing the halter tie behind my neck and enter the room. I kick the door shut behind me as I undress and get into comfier clothing- hopefully something to make me shrivel up and vanish, if I'm _lucky_...

With pruny fingers, I undo my braid and wring out the water from my locks, tying it up in a lazy bun as I exit once more to find Rock leaning against the wall outside of my room, inspecting my communicator intently. Probably reading my messages or something- though I don't really care much about it. I don't exactly have any secrets to hide on any matter

 _Other than the weird vibes he keeps giving me whenever I'm around him. Oh shoot, he's not reading my comm. device's electronic journal, is he? ...Did I even put anything about him in it yet? Hmmm, nah, I think I'm in the clear,_ I think with a soft exhale of relief.

He looks up when I come out in a black tank top and navy blue basketball shorts, eyes narrowing on me carefully as I gesture for him to follow me downstairs to the living room. We are both completely silent on the way- though for me, it's only because I'm still mentally freaking out over how I should phrase my words.

This talk is about a THOUSAND times worse than a talk with Grandpa Light about the birds and the bees.

I sit down on a love seat in the living room, with Rock sitting in one opposite from me so that we are somewhat face-to-face as we get ready to have a talk.

When I find myself having difficulties meeting his insistently unwavering gaze, he clicks his synthetic tongue thoughtfully. "It's a shame- we could have comfortably done this over the phone or over text if you'd have just answered like a normal person," Rock notifies me pointedly, to which I can't help but shoot him a pathetic, weak smile that just about relays my absolute anxiety regarding his scolding.

"S-sorry... What do you wanna know then?" I ask carefully with an involuntary stutter that only makes my skin hotter, twiddling my thumbs together as I wait for him to say something.

"Is Doctor Light lying to me?" He asks off the bat, making me look up at him in confusion. Lying? About _what?_ Grandpa Light doesn't lie! Not to mention that his question is pretty vague for such a smart robot. He continues though. "Do you _honestly,_ have feelings for me? Or is he just making assumptions?"

Panicking once again, I blurt out the first thing I think of. "Y-you tell me! He told me that _you_ were the one that was interested in me! He said _if_ I was interested that I ought to not encourage you and continue dating humans like myself instead!"

Rock frowns slightly, touching his chin in thought as he stares at me. My heart thuds and I look down at the _very_ interesting design of the loveseat.

Wait… Are those prints of turtles I see on the armrest?

"You called me 'great' earlier today. _And_ you were a stuttering mess," He puts in thoughtfully as his stare turns into a suspicious leer. "In fact, you're still stuttering right now. Why won't you look me in the eye?"

At his challenging words that call me out, I fire up inside and recover the courage to shoot him a look of annoyance. "Stop that! Quit micro-investigating me! I was just-!" I begin, but he cuts me off again.

"Just nervous about talking to me after Doctor Light brought up the idea of feelings between you and I? If that's not a guilty conscience, I don't know _what_ is. It explains why you decided not to answer me and chose to lock yourself in the bathroom shower," Rock casually throws out, much to my vexation. Is he even _listening_ to me?!

Any and all nerves sizzle away and interchange to annoyance. My heart is still noticeably pounding in my ribcage, but I do my best to ignore it. "Oh, yeah? Well what about _you,_ Mister? You're always so quick to get defensive whenever Cut brings it up to you, even at the expense of making it sound like only someone _crazy_ would like me!" I retort, narrowing my eyes with a half hurt look flashing across my features momentarily. His nonchalant grin is wiped off of his face. "That's okay though, I _totally_ get it! I guess only _crazy people_ date _crazy people_ , right?!"

Rock glares at me, equally as miffed as I am by the looks of it. " What?! That's not what I mean and _you_ know it! Everything Cut Man says is annoying- I get defensive over _anything_ he mentions that is stupid and relating to me. I'll be clear about this, Phyllis, I _don't_ have feelings for you like that. I think of you as nothing but a good friend- but I'm starting to think that you might not feel the same way! Look at you, you're _blushing!"_

I growl between clenched teeth as I meet his glare head on. "Humans don't just turn red over _liking someone_ or having _embarrassing feelings!_ We also blush when we're _angry, sad, hot, cold, etc.-_ you're delusional! I DON'T have feelings for you like that!" I snap back, jumping up to my feet so that I don't feel so cornered in my seat. It's bad enough that my face feels so warm and my palms have broken out into a sweat. "You're a _robot!_ You couldn't even _kiss_ me properly if you wanted to!"

"How would _you_ know that?! You've never even kissed _anyone_ before- robot _or_ human!" Rock half laughs without much enthusiasm. I feel humiliated, but I keep going- the snowball of anger already having gained far too much momentum to stop it now.

"Oh, well, how nice of you to notice! Maybe I'll get one from a _normal, organic, human_ tomorrow!" I bark defensively, watching Rock scoff and stand up as well to face me.

"So _now_ you're interested in the Tissue? Now that it's convenient enough for you? Or are you just trying to see if I'll get jealous?" Rock shoots back with no obvious regrets, prompting me to exhale sharply.

With both hands fisted at my sides, I try to relax my anger-tensed muscles. It's really no use though…

"Rock, I could care less whether you were jealous or not. I'm not interested in you, you're not interested in me- Grandpa Light made an assumption that was _wrong_. It's clear that you and I could _never_ be interested each other- aside from the more obvious reasons! End of discussion! _Go home!"_ I shout, pointing to the door and watching him turn to storm over it, giving me one glance as he makes his way there.

"Fine! You don't have to tell _me_ twice! Have _fun_ on your date tomorrow! See if I care! I hope you stain whatever you wear on your date!" He snaps, opening the door and slamming it behind him loudly.

As soon as it's shut, I run up to the door and quickly lock everything before releasing a loud growl of anger and stomping away towards the kitchen, where I throw my hands up in exasperation when I realize he's gone and taken my communicator with him in the midst of storming out the door.

 _UGH!_ I think, pulling myself on top of a counter and pressing my face into my hands. Deep breaths... Think positive... Tranquil emotions... _You've had worse fights with Rock before, this isn't anything that will ruin your friendship with him... Right?_

...This is a completely different situation than an argument over an accident in the lab...

 _What if things_ don't _go back to normal again? What if I've just ruined everything over this? ...This isn't my fault though! He's the one that was accusing me of things without waiting for me to explain my side of the story properly! Why did he suddenly start pointing a finger at me for having feelings?! If anyone has feelings, it's_ him _! He always looks at me with those_ stupid _bright blue eyes! He's always giving me compliments and trying to spend extra time with me! Does that not spell "CRUSH" or what?!_

 _..._

 _...Ugh, what do_ I _know... I don't even know what a crush actually is... I don't have any examples- my Mom and Dad didn't even display anything pertaining to those kinds of feelings before their fall-out._

I stretch my fingers apart and open my eyes to look at my bare feet, wiggling my toes and letting a sigh out. No... This isn't just Rock's fault. If I don't know what that weird feeling that I get around him is, then I really shouldn't deny "having feelings for him" off the bat. I don't understand what it is exactly, but it might be those feelings Grandpa Light and Rock say I might have. For the most part, denying everything like that is _my_ fault.

I should have mentioned the weird feeling I keep having- maybe we could have avoided this argument... If I'd been honest about what I was feeling, I'm sure he would have helped me. He's my best friend! In fact, I could message him to come back to fix things up...! I could-!

"Oh. Right..." I murmur to myself, when I blindly reach towards the side with one hand- only to remember who is currently storming home with my communicator at hand when I don't feel anything but the cool marble of the counter. Maybe he'd have the nerve to at least come back and give it to me? I kind of need it...

 _Clatter!_

I look up and to the left, spotting a thin metallic fork skidding across the floor before it comes to a stop at the counter under my feet. Confused, I hop off of the counter and bend over to pick it up hesitantly. My eyes drag up towards the left, where the house continues into the mostly unused family room- on the opposite side of the living room where I usually hang out with the robots when we come to visit Grandpa Wily.

Despite every nerve screaming at me to run like a mouse- I steel myself and valiantly slip off of the counter onto my bare feet. The oak floorboards creak under my weight- the only signal that I'm no longer sitting on the counter. I wince at the sound and slowly make my way towards the other end of the kitchen, trying and failing to keep my movements silent.

Once I peek my head through the doorway- expecting the worst- I blow out a breath of absolute relief and laugh to myself again. Wow, that's the second time tonight! Maybe I'm just high strung over this date I'm going to be going on? Well... The house is a bit humid and the air conditioning hasn't been repaired since it broke last week. I should probably open a few windows to give myself some air!

As I grab the curtains to one of the windows at the very end of the wall across from the kitchen, I hesitate and feel my eyebrows knit together in confusion as I think back to the disturbance moments prior.

 _...Grandpa Wily had all the silverware and dishes put away before he left- nothing should be in the sink other than the spoon I used for cereal with my bowl earlier. All the forks should have been put away in the drawers- none of them should be out._

My eyes flick to the visible edge of the curtain, where my heart suddenly drops like a weight when I see what I _think_ I see on the other side.

It's barely anything- but in that small triangle of a corner... I see long, boney clawed hands sliding slowly under the cracked open window. I can't move, rooted to my spot with my hand stuck to the thick curtains as I register the imminent fear crawling up my nerves and notifying me that this is in fact _not_ a nightmare, but _reality._

I'm shaking wildly, and I eventually manage to force my hand into release the curtain without much subtlety. Like a statue, I start to walk towards the kitchen until my brain stops me with barely any processing as I remember the floorboards and reckon it's a bad idea to walk into the creaky kitchen through the long way. My best bet is to get around through the family room and come into the kitchen again from the other side, which has a closer space between the basement door and the kitchen archway. Less space- less creaky floorboards to worry about.

My feet robotically direct me around the living room and back to the other side of the kitchen, where I hold my breath as I step over a single board (thankfully a silent one) to reach the door to the basement.

My fingers work rapidly to open the door and I lift my foot up from the floor board and slip in, swiftly closing the door with as little sound as possible. Locking it makes a cringe-worthy click, but I ignore it to climb down the stairs and run to the computer in the lab once I am stepping on concrete.

I'm wheezing air into my throat, having breathing problems that I struggle to right as I pick up the home communicator to Wily's house and immediately dial Grandpa Light's number with fingers that shake more than the outrageous thumping of my heart which is thumping even faster as it had been during my time with Rock.

 _Please pick up, Rock...! Please don't ignore me...!_

I hear the connection line attempting to reach Grandpa Light's communicator that Rock has (Or I hope he has, since he used the home comm. And came without one visible), but it immediately goes to voice log. Either it's off, or the power on it died. I resist the urge to cry out and slam the home communicator down against the table, instead pulling it back and refreshing to dial my _own_ number. They are all one-button calls, so switching is pretty quick as I hold the speaker to my ear with my trembling hands.

 _Is it inside already? What is it? Don't tell me it's happening all over again. Please, it can't be, I worked so hard to make it go away- it_ can't _be back again...!_

I bite my lip, but it's not enough to stop the tears that begin to fall down my face as I pray to every known deity for Rock to _at least_ answer _my_ communicator. Anything to hear a real voice in the midst of my insanity.

 _"It's you panic that gives them their forms- they are not real. They are just outlets to your stress that form when you're overwhelmed. Calm down and they will go away,"_ the voice of my therapist says in the far reaches of my mind.

I take deep breaths and quell everything negative in me to keep the helplessness I feel from creeping in on me. Keep fighting, don't give up! The communicator has made a connection- Rock just has to _answer it._

 _For the love of god, Rock, please don't ignore me, I need to hear your voice. I need your help. I need you_ here _._

I'm suddenly aware of a musical sound from somewhere far away, blaring a familiar whistling tune that I'd only heard as a recording on Grandpa Light's computer a couple months ago. However, I'd set it as my... My communicator's calling tune.

Either Rock was still here and just outside... Or he _left my communicator outside when he noticed he took it with him._

With a sinking feeling in my belly, I realize... Rock is not coming back. And it would take too long for him to backtrack even _if_ I made contact with him. Likewise, trying to make a getaway out the door? I'd run into _it_ for sure.

 _"Stop it. It is not real. It's your stress manifesting itself- don't pay attention to it. Acknowledging the hallucination will only make it persist and drive your stress deeper."_

"Voice Log for PHYLLIS WILY-LIGHT, speak after the beep," an automated voice speaks up, just as I hear loud thumps from above the basement, heavy and brisk as they move from the space over the basement door and towards the musical tone of my communicator. I hold my breath and keep the home comm. glued to my ear. Maybe it will think I've left. Maybe it won't come back. Maybe it doesn't know where I a-

BEEP.

Relief fills me as I hear the telltale sound of the call being answered, coming to the conclusion that Rock is outside still. He hasn't left! Thank Go-!

A deep, bass noise suddenly starts to rumble quickly into the communicator- in a rhythm that sounds a lot like growls of varying tones and enunciations of unknown origin. Horrified, I hang up quickly and dial for Grandpa Light's home communicator.

 _Please, please, please, please..._ The weighted footsteps aren't audible- I have no idea where the intruder is. Is it real?

 _"Do you see it? Is it here right now? Is it in this very room?"_

I blink back tears and sniff up the snot seeping from my nose, grabbing a spare cloth from the lab and cleaning my face with it despite that it's most likely dirtier than my face.

I gasp when I hear the beep of the communicator on the other side of the line being answered.

"'yello, what's crackin', this is the magnificent Phylbot, Cut Man, at your immediate servi-" I hear a cocky voice state casually from the other end.

It's real voice.

"CUT, HELP, I-!" I start to beg, but cut myself off when the lights of the lab flicker off, leaving only the light of the separate home communicator on, which glows a dimly by its screen and lights up fog like particles in the air that suddenly appear out of nowhere. I say nothing as I grab the cloth and cover the communicator with it, crawling under Grandpa Wily's desk in a desperate attempt to conceal my whereabouts.

"Doc-ette? Phyllis what's wrong? Say something!" I hear Cut say on the line, which I lower the volume to so it makes it impossible to hear him without firmly pressing the comm. device against my ear.

That's the first time Cut has ever said my real name, minus our initial greetings when he was first powered on.

I say nothing in return at his worried queries. I'm too scared to.

The lab door is pushed open hard enough to make it slam loudly against the wall behind it- either that or it's been broken down off of its hinges. Whatever action it is doesn't change the underlying fact: That being that the intruder is inside of the lab now.

My eyes struggle to make out the room through the darkness of the lab, and when my eyes focus on Zero's inactive body, I inhale sharply. I have to get Zero out of here too, but he's too heavy to carry...!

 _"It's not real, Phyllis. Open your eyes, it's not there... What? It's still there, then?"_

My family says it's not real. My therapist says it's not real... But my nerves _scream_ that it's very much real. The danger I sense is not an illusion, it's a blaring alarm that wants me to get away from this place as fast as possible.

"Ph-Phyllis, Doctor Light, Ice and I are on our way- hang tight. I'm going to hang up and redial, okay? I can't take the home comm. past the house perimeter. Whatever you do, do _not_ panic. Remember, it's all in your head, and stress only makes it worse," Cut's voice has adopted a softness I've rarely ever heard and I wait until I hear him hang up to reach under the cloth and set the communicator to silent, awaiting Cut's call back as I stare tentatively ahead from under the desk. I'm at the furthest spot under, with my back against the wall, my body shivering from head to toe.

My face is a mess of tears, blurry vision, and snot once again, but I breathe through my mouth so my sniffs don't attract any attention. I don't want _it_ to find me.

 _"You're seeing things, if you keep insisting it's real, it will never go away. You need to move past this- you won't be able to live a normal life if you keep giving it a reason to be there."_

I notice the communicator light up slightly and answer it immediately, my cloth pressed over it so the light doesn't slip out and reveal my hiding spot. The intruder is in the lab, that much I'm certain of... But _where_ in the lab, I have no idea, and it makes my irises bounce around in the darkness to try and find it. Knowing where it is, is horrifying- but _not_ knowing where it is? Well, that is even worse. It could be _anywhere._

"I'm here," I almost sob in relief when I hear Rock's voice, smooth and even more comforting as the tears come falling heavier with guilt. We'd had a big argument earlier, yet here he is trying to keep me sane over the phone. He truly _is_ the greatest friend I could ever ask to have. "Phyllis, it's okay, say something. It's not real, remember?"

I can't _._ I _want_ to believe it's not real- I _want_ it to be a hallucination.

I hear it again- not Rock or Cut... But those deep rhythmic growling sounds that I heard before, coming from somewhere in the lab. It echoes around lowly, making it impossible to hear exactly where it originates from. Chills run up my spine incessantly. I can barely breathe as I struggle to slow my nearing hyperventilation, and it's impossible to breathe through my nose now.

It was a good day. It was a fun night. Until my argument with Rock... Is that what made my hallucinations come back? Seems plausible... If I wasn't already so sure that the hallucination is _real._

Rock is completely silent on the line, and I shiver fearfully at his lack of input. He needs to say something- anything- I don't like hearing that _thing_ making those unnatural sounds. I need something else to focus on before I snap. I can't breathe...!

"Phyllis. If you're hiding, stay where you are and _do_ _not_ make a sound or any sudden movements," Rock is suddenly saying with a rather quiet voice that I strain to hear, the complete opposite of what he was previously saying to me. I don't change anything I'm doing, but listen intently for Rock to say something else. "I hear it."

I choke on saliva as I inhale and feel the inadvertent urge to cough it out, prompting noise to escape me and the growls to fall silent immediately. Terrified, I roll on all fours and crawl to the far end of the desk to slip across a shelf of books and conceal myself behind a thick machine as I look around and try to see where the shadow is.

Zero is still on the table with the 'E' beside him, left laying completely vulnerable to whatever is out there hunting me down- which I catch sight of when I see a tall shadow on all fours ducking under Grandpa Wily's desk, searching intently for (no doubt) me. Seems like smell is not one of its strong suits, making me nearly sigh with relief.

"Phyllis, are you still there? Blow gently into the speaker two times for yes," Rock says, making me obey and blow two very small puffs of silent air. Rock audibly sighs in relief. "Phyllis, we're almost there. Let's do a question game, okay? Relax and stay as quiet as you can... Now, are you upstairs? One puff for yes, two for no."

I blow gently into the mic twice.

"Are you outside in the back yard?"

Again, two puffs of air.

"Are you on the first floor?""

I blow two more puffs of air.

"Then... You're in the basement lab."

I blow once.

"Alright, we're here..." I hear Rock say, before continuing with. "Are you alone? Besides the thing in there with you?"

I blow twice as I stare at Zero and the shadowed creature that was sweeping around the opposite end of the room, completely oblivious to Zero much to my relief. In fact, I'd much rather it find me than hurt my android. Especially an android that hasn't even gotten to experience the world yet.

 _Do something...! Distract it!_ I think, looking around until I find a wrench and pick it up with my dominant hand, switching the communicator into my weaker left hand as I wait for the creature to turn around properly. _Come on, come on... Focus on the tables and turn around._

I wait with bated breath, inhaling and exhaling through my mouth with short, shaking breaths until I find my chance. The shadow turns around and ducks under an open cabinet where I might have hidden if I hadn't spotted the desk first. Using all of my strength, I stand up and throw the wrench as hard as I can, making it fly across the room until it hits the stairs, where it bounces from the top step and down the rest noisily, catching the shadow's attention when it pulls out from under the cabinet.

"Phyllis, is this some kind of joke?" Rock suddenly speaks normally from the phone, albeit dryly. "I'm in Doctor Wily's lab with Ice, Cut, and Doctor Light right now. I don't see you anywhere..."

I duck back down and look around the metal contraption hiding me as I watch the creature climb up the steps and out of the lab, allowing me the momentary sense of placated panic so I can wipe tears from my cheeks and eyes in an attempt to look a little less vulnerable. I can't hear it moving across any floorboards...

 _ **BANG!**_

The sound of crashing and fighting that sends items and objects loudly falling about from the first floor has me flinching and jumping to my feet to whirl around in a wild circle- until I remember that the intruder isn't in my vicinity. I relax a little, but pull my legs and arms closer to me out of fear. It could come back down here any time it wanted to.

I blow into the speaker again, unwilling to talk out loud, but also unwilling to stay completely quiet. What do I do? I don't see Rock or the other robots in here with Grandpa Light either... But Rock says they're in here, right? He wouldn't lie to me...

"...? Hey, Doctor Light, this doesn't make any sense. I still can't pick up her location through her chip with my system- it keeps flickering back and forth from being here to... Not being anywhere. Do you think her chip might have been damaged?" I hear Rock speaking from the line- though it's obviously not a question towards me. He can't track me with my chip? Is that why he asked which floor I'm on?

My eyes land on Zero and I move to make my way over to him. It's obvious that I need to power him up if I want to get him out of here with me.

With quick movements, I part Zero's lips and pour the 'E' into his system, nearly starting more waterworks as I do the familiar routine of parting a robot's lips to pour life into them- filling them with ideas, hopes, and dreams. Watching them grow inside of their metallic, wired bodies... Only this time, I am looking behind over my shoulder every minute to make sure the intruder isn't about to walk in yet.

I look back at Zero when a hand wraps around my wrist, making me jump and squeak a little. My eyes meet his blue irises, and I deflate with resignation as I take in the hue. They look like Rock's and Roll's eyes... The same crystal blue my grandfathers and I used for our two lab assistants.

"W-we don't have much time...!" I whisper to him, with the home comm. still pressed my ear under its cloth. "Your name is Zero and I'm your creator- but introductions can wait- we have to get out of here," I whisper to Zero, my eyes desperate as I look from his curious gaze to the exit behind me and back. "Please...!"

"Phyllis, you woke up Zero without us-?" I hear Rock ask dejectedly on the comm., but I ignore him as I shift my arm to hold Zero's when he relaxes his grip.

"Stay as quiet as possible... And follow me," I say, putting on a brave face despite the water that stained my cheeks. Zero seems to notice my apprehension, and reaches forward to run the synthetic skin of his thumb under my eyes, catching tears that threatened to fall against my wishes.

For a second, this distracts me from my fear in this nightmarish situation... Unfortunately, that second is a second too long- and I feel something cold and wet wrap around my waist. My body is yanked backwards with a startling strength, causing me to shriek and drop the communicator. Zero seems to already understand what to do when his arms snap out and grab my upper torso, using his much heavier weight to slow me down from reaching whatever is pulling me away.

I try to look at what's holding on to me, but my position and Zero's body makes it impossible. His hands work to pull at what's around my waist, but it seems like nothing is giving leeway to my release. If anything, it feels like the wrap is getting even tighter, and I struggle to cling to Zero as he is inevitably dragged along after me.

He's rather quiet, but I can tell he's doing everything in his power to try and free me. It doesn't seem like that's enough though. I turn my head around to look back and see that familiar shadow being from three years past, standing just at the bottom of the stairs leading out of the basement. My stomach cringes and flips as I watch myself getting closer and closer... Feeling the absolute helplessness of my situation.

 _Give up._

I tremble despite Zero still pulling at the creatures long limbs, which grow from either shoulder of the shadow. My vision spins and the edges of the area begin to fade to black- leaving the center point of focus solely on the white irises of the creature staring back at me.

 _There's no point in fighting._

 _They always win anyways._

"Zero, let go and run!" I say to the robot still clinging to me, the same robot who seems to continue trying to save me despite the creature's undeterred pulling. "You can still get out of here! Don't worry about me!"

Zero doesn't even look at me. He barely seems to listen, even though I know he can hear me. What is wrong with this robot?! Did I program something wrong in him? He shouldn't want to save me this badly when he barely knows me- and his system doesn't even _have_ the same processors that makes the robot masters that want to save humans. Zero should have left _the moment this thing appeared!_

We're just less than a few feet away, and I whimper when I hear the deep growls from the being emit behind me. It's over... I don't even get to apologize to the robots and Grandpa Light for my explosive attitude before leaving and it's all _over._ I can't apologize to Roll for ignoring her... And I can't apologize to Rock for our argument and for being dishonest.

 _I can't breathe...!_ I realize, my throat clogging up and my lungs burning for release. There's something _cold_ around my neck too. I wheeze heavily, searching for air that I just can't replenish. My ribs hurt- like they're nearing their snapping point under the pressure of the elongated limbs. _AIR! I NEED AIR!_ I want to scream, but all that comes out are dry and silent croaks as my eyes water and my body begins to numb.

Pins and needles run across my torso, arms, and neck- travelling up to my eyes and turning my vision black around the edges. Everything is floating... My head, my body, my senses...

I can't feel anything...

I can't see...

...!

Just as I'm about to completely pass out, I feel _something._

At first, when Zero's fist makes contact with the creature behind and sends its head whipping back, I fall to the ground with my android and hunch over to catch my breath- until Zero hauls me up onto my feet and pulls me quickly past the shadow being, ushering me up the stairs with him and taking two steps at a time. We have to dodge the broken down door lying in the middle of the stairs, but Zero picks me up and makes a magnificent jump that has us soaring over it safely to the exit.

He walks through the basement doorway and into the kitchen... And then stops just as I feel something odd in the air as we pass. He must feel it too, because he looks at me as I bring my dizzy gaze over his shoulder to glance back at the doorway. When he fully turns for us to see, I shake the daze from my head and feel my jaw slightly drop when I spot the door to Grandpa Wily's basement completely intact, cracked open slightly to show that someone has gone down there without closing the door behind them.

I hear the sound of glass dropping and we both turn towards the sound, Zero acting even faster and pulling me closer against himself almost in unison with the shattering sound of glass.

"Ph-Phyllis? And _Zero?"_ Grandpa Light's eyes are wide as he stands by the sink, a fallen glass of water spilling liquid and shattered glass everywhere by his feet. He doesn't seem to care about the mess he's made as he takes a step towards me... And Zero steps back one more step in return. At this, Grandpa Light stops and hesitates as he looks up with me to see Zero's uncertain expression as he eyes Grandpa Light.

I want assure the blonde robot, but when I open my mouth to speak, all that comes out is a weak croak that doesn't seem to calm either the robot or Grandpa Light one bit. Zero doesn't look at me, but the dangerous and protective glint in his eye says he's not as calm as one might think. Desperate to quell Zero's tension so he doesn't hurt Grandpa Light under false pretension, I claw lightly at his neck and bring his attention back down to me.

Zero looks at me and I shake my head, pointing towards Grandpa Light and shifting to squirm away from him. At first, he doesn't let me, but eventually, he seems to understand and sets me carefully on my feet. I stumble a bit, but he steadies me until I give him a tap to let him know I can handle the rest. I take a step towards Grandpa Light, feeling Zero cling to my hand.

My determination must be sincere when I turn to look at my newest robot, as Zero eventually lets go of my hand to allow me to rush over to Grandpa Light, who pulls me into a firm hug once I'm within grabbing range. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see that Zero still looks to be on his toes, watching us with a careful eye that makes me smile as I wipe my eyes clear of tears when I pull away from Grandpa Light.

"Phyllis, what happened?" Grandpa Light asks, his expression horrified as he takes in my moderately ripped clothing and messy hair. I try to speak again, but my words refuse to come out coherently. I'm ready to give up talking to find a random notepad and pen just as the door to the basement is pushed open to reveal Ice, Rock, and Cut, who's eyes all bug out when they see me.

"Whoa! Doc-ette?! Where'd you come from?!" Cut blurts out in shock, though he seems perpetually frozen in place at my state and the presence of an unfamiliar large robot. Grandpa Light raises a worried eyebrow of confusion towards their reactions, and then glances back towards Zero and I.

"I thought the two of you came from the basement too," he says carefully with a puzzled expression. "I turned to get water and all of a sudden, I heard them jump out from the doorway to the lab."

"No, she wasn't down there with us," Rock confirms, eyes wide as they settle on Zero and I when I share a look with my taller android. His face seems to go pale, but maybe it's just the distressed expression on his face- considering that he doesn't have a program to drain color from under his synthetic skin. "W-what _happened_ to you, Phyllis?"

 _We_ did _come from the basement! We didn't see Rock, Ice, or Cut down there!_ I _want_ to reply, but only start a heavy coughing fit and fall down to my knees when nothing properly exits my mouth. I try to catch my breath when I feel Zero tense up as Rock takes a step towards us.

Since I already know that trying to speak will only make things worse in my throat, I put a hand on my new-built's arm, who relaxes only a smidge as Rock walks over to me and starts to give me a once over. Rock's eyes seem focused on my neck, and I can only imagine what he sees that makes such an expression of anguish appear across his face.

Carefully, I bring a hand up to my neck... And it's cold- freezing, actually.

"Zero, can _you_ tell me what happened?" Grandpa Light speaks to Zero, who looks up at my Grandfather while Rock takes a seat beside me on the ground, rubbing my hand as Cut and Ice sit down to join him in comforting me- even though I don't think I need it. Sure, I'm upset... But what can anyone do about it?

"It tried to take her and it nearly killed her," he simply explains, prompting even _me_ to look up in shock. It wanted to _take_ me? I thought it was...

" _'it'?_ " Cut asks in confusion, freezing up and looking back at me with Ice and Rock. I avert my gaze, unable to meet their gazes. I _knew_ it. They're _real._ Zero saw it and there's no _way_ he can be hallucinating- let alone hallucinating the same thing as _me._ "What do you mean by that?"

"What tried to take her?" Grandpa Light asks, placing his hands on Zero's shoulders as his eyes begin to water.

"...I don't know. I stored an image in my memory if you'd like to view it," Zero answers, prompting Grandpa Light to nod before pulling out a comm. device from his coat pocket, one I recognize as _Pate's_ from a familiar green pine tree decal on the back. Zero opens his chest plate and allows Grandpa Light to unplug a specific wire from within him as if it's second nature, which my grandfather plugs to his comm. device before tinkering with it a little... And going dead pale as he stares at the screen of the device.

There's a heavy silence as Grandpa Light keeps his eyes glued to his communicator, but it's broken moments after by Ice's timid voice. "D-Doctor Light? What is it?"

Grandpa Light makes no answer at first, unplugging Zero's wire and returning it to its original plug inside of the android before closing him up. Zero stares apprehensively at my grandfather, but his blue eyes eventually shift down towards me where I sit surrounded by my two robots and Rock- all who are waiting for Grandpa Light to say _something._ My vision is getting dark again, and I struggle to keep from swaying completely to one side like a pendulum.

"...Rock. Cut. Go back home and get Roll. We're spending the night here with Phyllis and Zero."

"But Doctor Light, what-?" Rock tries to speak up, but Grandpa Light is already moving past us towards Grandpa Wily's lab, prompting my eyes to snap open and a frantic garbled cry to emit when I lunge after him- only to feel Ice grab my arm to keep me from following.

I look back in confusion, and point desperately after my grandfather until Zero is walking down to the lab after him. Only then do I relax and sit back on my knees to touch my neck again. It's getting warm again, thank goodness...

"Let's get you some cough syrup, that might help with your throat," Ice says, pulling my arm gently until I muster the strength and will to haul myself onto my feet. Everything is starting to ache now that the numbness of my body is finally fading.

"We'll be back, okay?" Rock says, standing up with Cut and leaving Ice and I to watch as they hustle towards the exit in a rush. Obviously they want to get home and bring Roll back as soon as possible. Once the door shuts behind them, I'm led to a cabinet where Ice jumps on a counter and digs into some cabinets before pulling out the nastiest brand of cough syrup he could find.

I make an expression of disgust and turn to walk towards the living room couch to lay down, but Ice catches my hand and pulls me back. When I turn to look at him, my expression says everything- I've been through hell and he wants me to taste a little more?

"Come on, Phyllis, you'll feel better after!" Ice insists, but I keep that skeptical glare on my face.

 _Does it look like it'll make me feel better?_ I want to snap, but eventually give in when he does that stupid pout that always wins my compliance. I snatch the bottle from him and unscrew the top, tossing the cup aside and taking a two gulps straight from the bottle that makes Ice stammer in bewilderment.

"W-wait! You didn't even measure it! What if you overdose?!" Ice panics, but I just slam the bottle down on the counter and give him a _'seriously?'_ look as I swallow the second gulp of the nasty medicine down. The actual taste isn't actually too bad- it's the _aftertaste_ that's the most offensive on my tongue. Ice clearly doesn't know how overdoses work, as he is pacing on the counter with a look of stricken fear.

Since he's busy, I grab a nearby pad and pen to make him a note.

"Oh no, oh no...! You might have drunk over the limit! What do I do?! I can't run down stairs, you can't be by yourself... And I don't wanna scare Doctor Light by screaming from the top of the stairs...! Crap, what do I-?!" Ice shuts up as soon as I shove a paper against his face. His fingers take it and he pulls his face back to read it calmly. "'Ice. I've been taking medicine like that since I was nine. I haven't died yet. Calm your gears down and come with me to the living room so I can nap.'"

Ice looks up at me dubiously, but my dry expression never shifts.

...

When he doesn't jump off of the counter, I turn away and head for the living room without him on legs of jell-o. "H-hey, don't leave without me! You can't be alone right now!" He complains, scrambling off of the counter and following me with quick steps.

My comm. device is laying on the living room table when I get there- not outside like I'd thought it was before. There's a new message when I pick it up and turn it on, one from my date for tomorrow- Chris. I can't help but make a face of distaste as I read the new message.

 **Chris:** _"Hey, what you up to rn? ;)"_

I glare ahead and toss the comm. device back over my head, allowing it to land wherever with a crash as I crawl on the couch and lay stomach down against a comfy pillow.

 _I wasted money on a stupid dress for a date I probably can't even attend anymore with how I look..._

 _..._

 _Whatever. I didn't wanna go anyways- I only decided to because Rock guilt tripped me into it..._

I frown at the thought of our earlier argument prior to the Hell-on-Earth incident. Will things be awkward now? Is he still going to talk to me after that? If I admit that I don't really know how I feel about him... Will that make things better?

 _Ugh. What are you worried about_ that _for?_ My face goes pale and I press further against my pillow and arms, hiding my face. _Some_ thing _tried to "take" you. Not kill- TAKE. Quit worrying about trivial matters like crushes and dates. It's time to worry about your_ life _._

I feel a hand gently rub my back comfortingly, and smile against my pillow. For once, I feel just a smidgen better- if only for a moment... At least the robots are still here with me. At least I have people to keep me on my feet. At least... At _least_ I'm not alone.

* * *

 **A/N: I wanted to post this before I went on my vacation :P No wifi out there, that's for sure~**


	9. P 1 - Ch 9: Talk it Out

**Part 1 - Ch. 9: Talk it Out**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

I cross my arms and glare pointedly at my feet, ignoring the stares I'm obviously getting from Rock, Roll, Ice, and Cut. Grandpa Light and Zero have yet to leave the lab, and whatever they're doing is of no concern to me- as they refuse to let any of _us_ down there.

 _Whatever. As long as Gramps isn't taking Zero apart down there for more of his memory, I'm fine with this,_ I think to myself, despite the way I'm drumming my fingers lightly along my forearm and staring up at the ceiling. I'm exhausted- near the point of just passing out actually. Yet for some reason...

"Doc-ette, maybe you'll fall asleep easier if you'd just lie down...?" Cut suggests in a half query, though I don't spare him a glance despite hearing him clearly. At this, Rock laughs dryly under his breath from where he sits- on the opposite end of the couch _I'm_ sitting on. The icing to the cake? Turns out that he's _still_ pissed at me- and it certainly shows now that it's been a couple hours since the incident in the basement with Zero.

I shoot Rock the nastiest side glance I can make, since I can't really say anything about how snooty he's acting. I still want to apologize and clear things up by confessing, but not having a voice sort of makes it... difficult. Not to mention that with every passing second he deliberately shows his discontent with me, it makes me want to apologize less and less.

So with that cleared... It means I have to sit here, grinning and bearing his nonsensical attitude.

 _I wanna go home..._ I think, staring across the room out a window. Not to Grandpa Light's place either, I mean _home-_ home.

M eyebrows knit together as I shift my gaze down towards a window to the left where I can't see Rock brooding to himself. It's pitch black with the porch lights off, and even darker with the contrasting indoor lights.

...My eyes eventually make out movement in the reflection, causing my eyes to slightly widen when I see Rock making gestures towards Cut and Ice on the opposite couch, with Roll at the very back making gestures for Rock to either go to me or turn to me. One of the two, I think. It's pretty obvious that Rock and I aren't on good terms at the moment, and the other robots want to fix it.

Rock on the other hand, looks like he's arguing against their pushy suggestions. My eyes narrow on his reflection like a hawk, tracing his frustrated expression as he waves the other robot's motions away with a gesture of his own.

About one hundred percent _done_ with this issue and Rock's arrogant attitude, I let out a heavy huff of air and get up on my feet- the complete opposite of what Cut has suggested I do- and speed walk towards the kitchen without a care about the verbal objections of all in the living room as I make my exit.

"Phyllis-!" I hear Rock say, prompting me to turn and face him with an swift spin so that he skids to a stop before he can run into me.

 _"What?"_ I demand, speaking for the first time in hours since the attack. Roll nearly doubles over behind Rock at the sound of my tone and voice- which is gravelly and raspy, yet still retains its feminine lilt as I snap at the brown haired robot.

Surprised at my current voice though, I reach up to touch my neck and make a face of disappointment. I really hope that's not permanent...

My surprise doesn't last long, as I recall the reason for speaking up and look back at Rock pointedly. Rock, however, glances nervously from side to side as if looking for an escape route from my glare. Other than that, he doesn't answer my snappy query.

...

"Phyllis, where are you going?" Ice asks carefully, pushing past Rock so that he's speaking to me instead. Considering it's Ice, I relax the tension in my muscles and swing a thumb over my shoulder to point towards the refrigerator, reaching back and tying my hair into a self-made ponytail to get it out of my face.

With lithe movements, I turn and casually walk the rest of the way into the kitchen. Opening the fridge with one hand, I only open the door a crack when I hear- _clink!_

Confused, I let go of the metal handle and grab it again. _Clink!_

 _Hey, why does the fridge make that noise whenever I grab the handle?_ I wonder, releasing the handle and grabbing it with my other hand as I bring my right up to inspect it. Before I can really look at my right hand, my left palm makes a similar clinking sound as my fingers wrap around the metal handle, bringing my attention back to the fridge door.

I glance back up towards the living room to see the robots all talking together, Roll, Ice, and Cut visibly chastising and conversing with Rock. They haven't noticed yet...

Sweat coats my brow as I look down at my free hand and turn it over.

The blue marks on my palm are gone. In the place of the dotted circular shape in my right hand is an ovaline crystal that shimmers an ocean green gemmy color, making my hand stiff and unable to bend properly. It sits embedded in the skin of my palm about the size of an egg- half protruding in a flattened dome-like shape on _both_ of my palms as I bring them up to my face curiously.

 _What...?_ I think, gaping slightly at the shiny gems in confusion.

"Phyllis?"

I close my hands into fists and rest them on my sides, looking towards the robots and ignoring the odd sensation of my enlarged, inflexible palms with the hard crystals embedded in them. Where did those oval spheres come from? _When_ did they appear? Zero was with me near the end of the incident... Did it maybe happen during the time I was hiding?

...Was I _really_ hiding, or did I get found and just have my memory wiped? Were they not expecting Zero to be able to catch an image of them in his memory? Is that the only real reason I can honestly now say that they're real?

...And what are the purpose of the stones in my hands?

"Hello? Doctor Phyllis?" Roll snaps me out of my musings, bringing my attention down to them after I gaze off into the distance. Confused by the look of concern on the blonde Phylbot's face, I relax my features and raise a simple questioning brow. Upon my look, Roll looks back towards Rock and frowns, grabbing his wrist and pulling him in front of herself to face me. Rock looks like a cornered rabbit, and I can't help but want to giggle a little at the sight despite the irritation I still feel towards him. "You two need to talk things out. Right now. Cut, Ice, and I will be upstairs!"

Before Rock can make an objection, he turns only for us to see the Roll dragging Cut and Ice quickly towards the living room, the expressions of blank surprise evident on both Cut's and Ice's faces as they vanish around the corner and out of sight. With us alone, I look back down at Rock and relax my features into an apologetic stare so that when he turns to face me again, his prepared expression of defiance dissolves immediately.

We're silent for a good five minutes, staring at each other quietly until I let out a soft sigh.

"I'm sorry," I manage in a quiet raspy voice, making sure only Rock himself can hear me. Even if the other robots are trying to eavesdrop, they won't hear a thing. Rock looks surprised- which is reasonable since it's usually it's _him_ who apologizes first. He knows how stubborn I am, so he tries his best to avoid holding a grudge for so long. Once I'm sure I have his attention, I continue, even though it hurts my sore throat. "You asked me if I had feelings for you... To be completely honest... I don't understand what those feelings actually _are._ I will say that I _do_ feel _something,_ though I don't know what it is yet..."

Rock blinks, his blue eyes beginning to shine that bright hue that confuses me all of the time. Considering my news, I have no idea what causes him to make that expression as I continue.

"My real answer isn't that I _don't_ have feelings for you... It's actually that I don't _know_ if I have feelings for you," I reply, looking down at my feet and hugging myself to rub my palms up and down my arms. "...Not that it really matters anyways..." _Considering you said you don't have feelings for me like that whatsoever._ "Just wanted to be honest. I didn't realize this until you stormed out before."

Rock hesitates to speak, but eventually lets out a small nervous laugh and reaches back to scratch his head anxiously with red cheeks. "Wh-what do you mean it doesn't 'really matter'? Of course it matters... They're your feelings. Those are important," Rock explains easily, smiling despite his bashful body language. "I might not be your prince charming, but I know for sure that _someone_ out there will see how amazing of a person you are."

"...Right," I reply shortly with a stiff scratchy voice, sneaking a glance at one of my palms to see the shimmering stone embedded in my palm. "I'm trying to be honest here, Rock. So let's be _completely_ real for a moment."

Rock's smile fades when I look back down at him, my expression flat and tired.

"I'm an eighteen year old girl who's spent her whole life making robots for a living. A girl who's spent a good three years dealing with 'hallucinations' and therapists over something I thought was entirely in my head. I've seen five different doctors because of cuts becoming infected along my body, my parents have never truly loved each other, I've been told that everything I've been seeing is just a manifestation of my insecurities and stress in life- like I'm a piece of _glass._ The only times I've gone outside since I started seeing a therapist and dropped out of public school to take private homeschooling lessons three years ago, was for the robot unveiling... And to get a dress for the date I'm _not_ going on tomorrow," I explain casually, drumming my right fingers along my arm quickly. "For an organic person, it means my social skills have probably dwindled quite a lot for that three year period. I haven't even been able to speak to my friend Cecilia because I'm worried I'll say something socially awkward."

Rock looks speechless by my words.

"...Is it sinking in yet?" I say more than ask, with my expression never wavering. "That guy's going to eventually figure out that the Wily-Light kid who supposedly became schizophrenic isn't one of my brothers. Especially now that they know who's the grandchild that builds robots in the family."

"Phyllis, you're not crazy though! We figured out that what you've been seeing is real and-!" Rock starts, but I cut him off with a soft, humorless laugh.

"No one is going to _believe_ that, Rock. Come on... I wouldn't like me _either_ if I was given the option," I finish, turning towards the fridge nonchalantly- as if we're talking about casual life gossip rather than personal feelings towards my self-worth.

I pause as I hear the clinking of my oval crystals against the door handle as I grab it. Rock, once again, is too busy gaping at me to notice. Which makes me realize yet another thing.

"...It's been three years and they came back," I speak up again, my raspy voice becoming a painful sensation of grating vibrations in my throat as I continue to talk. Rock looks like he wants to say something, but stays silent as he stares up at me despondently. "...No one is going to see how 'amazing' of a person I am. Because I'm pretty sure I'm going to be dead before then."

Rock audibly gasps and slaps his synthetic hands over his mouth in shock, fear flashing across his blue irises. "DON'T SAY THAT!" He shouts in horror, but I ignore his outburst by pulling the fridge door open and reaching in to grab a bottle of water I'd put in earlier that night.

"Why? I'm just being _honest._ I thought that was what you _wanted_ ," I spit back lowly, hands fisting painfully hard to the point that my knuckles turn white. My heart skips a beat when I look at his face, filling me with that strange feeling I get when I look at him. I ignore it and refuse to acknowledge the feeling due to my stressed state- knowing that mentioning it to Rock will only stress me out further.

Rock gives me a mixed look of frustration and worry, like he's not sure which emotion he should be giving priority to. "That's not being _honest,_ that's being morbid! You can't possibly believe that, Phyllis... I mean, I wasn't completely honest with you earlier _either_! I-"

"I don't want to hear _anything_ else, Rock!" I argue, stomping a foot into the ground in hopes that the loud sound will make him shut up. My throat feels raw and dry like sandpaper, and raising my voice hurts. Rock keeps on trying to make me feel better... But it's just making me feel _worse_ with every attempt! "Just leave me alone! I'm _done_ talking to you! I'm _done_ talking to _all of you_!"

I skirt around Rock on quick-footed steps with my water bottle at hand, racing past him and the three robots that are huddled behind the side wall leading to the kitchen. I shoot past them and up the stairs, running for the bathroom and slamming the door shut behind me with a lock.

Once I'm secure and solitary, I lean back against a wall and slide down all the way to the floor, pulling my knees up against my chest. My heart is pounding like crazy and it's a little difficult to breathe, but a few deep breaths and I manage to calm myself down again. Squeezing my eyes shut, I gently thump the back of my head against the wall and resist the urge to break down into tears again.

 _This gives me an oddly familiar sense of déjà vu..._ I think to myself, sinking my nails into the sides of my knees as I recall the horrible feelings of helplessness I'd experienced back when I was fifteen. When I broke down in this same house... And Rock sat down on the other side of the door to comfort me. _Not this time though... I don't want comfort- I just want everything to_ stop _._

I run my hands through my hair, grabbing tightly on the wavy green tresses with a painful grip as I look up to stare across the bathroom. There's no one in here but me.

And there's no one on the other side of the door.

...

 _I want to go home._

My legs automatically bring me up onto my feet, even before I register that I'm moving. Something about the action feels completely right... It's probably a risky plan, but after all that's been happening this night, I just have the unavoidable urge to go back home- even if my mother doesn't want me there.

 _I don't care, I want to go home,_ I realize, walking across the bathroom to a small window above the toilet that can be opened and easily crawled out of.

I carefully stand on the toilet lid and use slow movements to open the window as silently as possible, only halting once it's a good width for me to climb up and slide through. I push up with my arms quickly, my bare feet in midair as I begin to climb through the window with my arms and-

 _"Meow!"_

I halt and look towards the bushes ahead of the window to see a small white and orange tabby peeking at me through leaves, prompting me to blink back at it in surprise despite my previous urges to get back home. I've never seen this cat before- and the many cats I've usually seen around this area aren't small like this little guy.

While I lay there with my body half sticking out of the window, the kitten takes a couple rather bold skips forward towards my face, leaning close with it's curious gold eyes and sniffing my nose studiously. I can't help but look around for another cat- where is this little thing's mother? In my search, I eventually shift forward a bit more and look down the side of the house, past the driveway where I can see the street.

My heart sinks when I catch sight of something white and brown laying on the road, which looks like the only answer I need to my previous question.

 _"Meoow!"_ The kitten mewls again, pawing at my hair as I turn my face back to look at it. I can't help but snicker when it flops on its side to kick and gnaw at my hair playfully. I flick my eyes one more time towards the road, my escape route to get back home... And pull myself the rest of the way out of the window with a yawn.

I don't wanna stay here, but I also can't exactly go home and face my mom either. So where do I go then?

I push myself up onto my feet and turn to close the window- but after a second, I decide to leave it open. It's less risky than closing it and making a possible sound.

"Meow!" The kitten mewls again as I walk past it to the brown and white thing in the street, following and forcing me to carefully watch where I'm placing my feet when it continues to walk in my path. I have to be careful, or else I might trip and hurt it- or hurt _myself._

With little lighting to see, I fish my communicator out of my short's pocket and turn on the built in flash light as I approach the street. I'm close enough to see the blood under the matted fur of the large house cat as the light from my comm. device illuminates the area, making my expression fall with sympathy as the kitten paws at the limp tail of the cat before meowing at me more.

 _...Poor thing must feel so alone,_ I think somberly, turning the light off and kneeling down to console the kitten.

I feel bad that the mama cat is dead, and half of me wants to take care of its kitten... But Grandpa Wily is allergic to cats. Most of all though, I've never had a pet in my entire life. I wouldn't even _begin_ to know how to take care of a cat- much less a kitten.

...

I open my contacts list on my comm. device and send a call to Cecilia, despite all my nerves screaming at me _not_ to. We're not friends- but we aren't enemies either. Last I talked to her, she'd been wanting a cat pretty bad... Maybe she still wants one? That is, if she doesn't already have one by now, considering it's been two years...

I patiently walk away from the carcass on the street with the kitten following me diligently over a grassy hill across the street from Grandpa Wily's house. My footsteps are somewhat slow and casual as I walk, enough for the kitten to keep up with me as I listen to the connecting sounds of my communicator linking with that of my ex-friend's comm. device.

"What? _Now_ you want to be friends again? What do you want," Cecilia's voice cuts in immediately, causing me to wince slightly at her tone as I take a seat on the grass once I'm over the hill at a good level where any robot in Grandpa Wily's house won't be able to see me if they look out the window.

"That's not what I'm calling for. I just wanted to know if you had a cat yet- there's a kitten who's mother got ran over on my Grandpa Wily's street and I can't take it in. I was wondering if you-"

"No," she snaps before hanging up on me and leaving me the dead tone of the broken line, which is as broken as our friendship. I let out a sigh and pull my comm. device away from my ear, prompting the kitten to jump on my lap and swat at my communicator on the other side, entranced with how quickly I'd moved it.

I roll my eyes but still crack a smile as I stroke it's orange colored fur gently, which doesn't seem to bring its attention away from my communicator. When my comm. device suddenly starts vibrating with a call, the kitten tries to attack it playfully, but I bring it back up to my ear as I answer it without checking the caller's info.

"Hello?" I ask dryly. I don't really want to talk to anyone anymore, but there's a slim chance that it might be...

"...What color is it?" I eventually hear the voice of Cecilia question shyly, which has me snorting with laughter. This is something she used to do when we were still friends. Saying "no" to something and then thinking about it before coming back to gauge a few more details out of me.

"It's an orange tabby." I look down at the kitten, which is now using it's little claws to climb up my shirt like Velcro. "...With white socks."

I hear her gasp and continue with a small voice, "With pretty golden gems for eyes...?"

"Yes, Cecilia. With pretty golden gems for eyes," I confirm, moving my hair to my other shoulder when I feel the kitten getting itself tangled in my wavy tresses as it swats at the moving locks. "Hey, stop attacking my hair and climbing me! Do I look like a human jungle gym?!"

"Yus," Cecilia answers for the kitten, causing me to drop my hair with a flat look of annoyance.

"I was talking to the kitten," I say, which she replies immediately with, "I am my kitten's voice."

...

"I'm almost there, I just needed to write a note for my boyfriend," She says after a couple minutes of shuffling on the line.

"Boyfriend? You have a boyfriend?" I ask curiously. Of course, I expect no less from her, Cecilia is _really_ pretty...

"Yeah. I met him a year ago. You'd have known if you hadn't started ignoring me," she throws out casually, causing me to sigh heavily once again.

"I didn't _mean_ to ignore you, I just...!" I pinch the bridge of my nose, as if it will help me find the right words to express. "You don't wanna hang out with a crazy person like me, Cecilia. It's not healthy for you."

"Um, that was _my_ decision to make. Not yours. Maybe I _did_ want to hang out with a crazy person. Maybe I didn't even think you were crazy at all," Cecilia blurts out, her voice raising as she continues. "If you really didn't want to be my friend anymore, you should have just said it to my face instead of blaming it on _excuses._ "

"Cecilia, I _did_ want to stay your friend! Hell, I _still_ want to be your friend right now! But I didn't know how to talk to you after I-!" I cut myself off stiffly, my own raised voice startling the kitten in my hair enough to make it tumble out of my wild tresses and on the grass to scan the area for danger. Man, I seriously have a temper...

"Wow, _okay._ No need to be so pushy," Cecilia suddenly continues with a snicker, but I flinch in surprise when I hear her voice half outside of my communicator's speaker.

Confused, I look around until I spot a slightly familiar thin girl with short brown hair standing at the top of the hill behind me. My eyes take in her height, which now surpasses my own by a good five inches or more when I too get up on my feet to greet her.

She visibly hangs up and sticks her communicator in her pocket, giving me a familiar fox-like grin that has me raising an eyebrow. "I'll be your friend again if it's that big of a deal to you," she finishes, shrugging in mock nonchalance.

"...Hey, wait a minute-!" I realize, causing her to suddenly start cackling in laughter when I replay our entire conversation in my mind. "Wait, wait, wait, did you start an argument _just_ so I would-?!"

"Admit you still wanted to be friends? Yes. Yes I did," she says brightly, kicking a spare dead leaf down the hill as she closes the distance between us at a moderate pace and continues with a slightly sober tone. "I'll admit that I was sort of afraid you'd say you ignored me because _you_ specifically didn't want to be myfriend anymore... I'd been scared about that idea since we stopped talking, but I decided against asking you and tried not to think about it too much. Before I knew it, it was already a year, and I felt like I couldn't ask anymore after so much time passed."

My expression drops with guilt. I had _no idea_ she felt like that... And it's _my_ fault for not speaking to her and explaining myself earlier.

"Never. I _never_ wanted us to not be friends. I thought... I thought distancing myself from you would make things easier for the both of us. You had other friends too, you know? I figured-" I begin, looking down at my bare feet where the kitten is slowly inching away towards Cecilia's black sneakers as she stops a good five feet away, crossing her arms and pulling her leather jacket closed a bit more to conceal the cropped blue top she has on underneath.

"Phyllis, your best friend may have been Rock, but _you_ were _my_ best friend. I told you everything. I thought we could never be torn apart because we'd been together since we were toddlers. When you stopped talking to me, I tried to make a bond like that with my other friends, and all I got were cheap imitations... I didn't _want_ a replacement, I wanted _you,_ " she clarifies, looking back up at me and meeting my eyes unflinchingly.

My throat feels tight and sore, like I've got an ice cube lodged in my already mangled airways. If there's ever a time I've felt like crying in front of someone _willingly_ , now's certainly feeling like that time.

"...Can we start over? Clean slate?" I ask with a soft smile, just as the kitten has jumped on Cecilia's leggings to climb up with insistent mewls for attention. At this, Cecilia looks down and laughs, peeling the kitten off of her pants to gather it in her arms.

"Of course we can!" She blinks innocently at me, and then drops her smile to gaze at me in mock wonder. "Hey, hey, do I _know_ you? You look _so_ familiar! I'm Cecilia Johnson, what's your name, stranger?"

I make a face despite my smile. "On second thought, never mind. You're a dork," I say as I turn to leave, resulting in an arm slinging around my shoulders to turn me back around.

"Nope, we're taking you back to your Grandpa's house. I still know you, Phyl. You came out without letting any of them know, right? For shame! Bad girl! Besides, you look like you need sleep," Cecilia chides playfully, directing me up the hill until I can see the front of the house and an unfamiliar car parked on the street closest to the hill. Must be hers, but that's the least of my worries as I stare at Grandpa Wily's house for a moment... And grimace _immediately_.

"Ugh, I _can't..._ There's some huge drama between Rock and I right now. Grandpa Light came up to the both of us at different times today because he thought we had a _crush_ on each other," I explain as we pause at the top of the hill and take a seat to stare at the lights in the house flitting through the closed curtains of the living room windows. "Now it's all awkward between us..."

Cecilia's eyebrows shoot up in shock as she faces me. "You _don't_ have a crush on Rock? I've thought you liked him since we were in the junior high," she confesses, causing my eyes to nearly bug out as I look back at her.

"What? What made you think that?" I ask in honest bewilderment, cocking my head slightly to the side.

Cecilia blushes slightly. "W-well, you always talked about how sweet and cool he was... You also had this really happy and bright look in your eyes whenever he was brought up in a conversation."

I pause to think back to when we were in junior high, but I can't remember the specifics of our conversations- a guilty reminder that I probably should have been a better friend than I actually was. I truly don't deserve this girl in my life...

"Actually..." She adds thoughtfully, touching her chin and looking up at the trees above us. "Now that I think about it, you kind of used to talked a _lot_ about him."

My face gets unbearably hot as she turns a studious eye on me, leering as if it will help her find answers to the mystery between Rock and I.

"...Yeah, this is what our current issue is about. We haven't had a mature conversation since earlier tonight. At first, I told him I didn't have feelings for him because he said he didn't like me back either- and I thought that would be it... Until he started accusing me of lying since I've been stuttering and getting ditzy around him from the moment Grandpa Light brought it up to me. I guess I completely lost my sanity and blew up at him to get out- but later I told him that the truth: that I _do_ feel _something,_ but I'm not sure what it is."

Cecilia looks overcome with delight when I look back at her to see the big stupid smile spread across her cheeks. "Keep going. Tell me more about what you feel."

I can't tell if she's happy that I'm confiding in her, or if she's in awe at the whole issue between me and Rock. At her urging though, I hesitate slightly and purse my lips before I continue where I've left off.

"Well for starters, I thought I was just getting _angry_ at first. When I started feeling _it_ when I was relaxed though, I started to suspect it wasn't that I was mad. I feel that weird way whenever I'm around Rock, to the point that I can't maintain eye contact like a normal person. My hands will get sweaty- I'll feel like a million eyes are judging me- there will be these spinning, fluttery feelings in my chest... Also, I _completely_ forgot how to English earlier today and ended up stumbling about his 'weight' and 'great'. I really don't know what's wrong with me..." I finish, burying my face in my hands and wincing back when I feel the pain of the stones hitting my cheekbones too hard.

"Phyllis," Cecilia speaks, urging my gaze to slide from my palms to her stare of amusement. "You _totally_ have a crush on Rock. It's _completely_ obvious- that feeling is you being nervous around him! Your hands get sweaty and you can't maintain eye contact with him because you think he might not like you back! You're scared of rejection!"

I gawk at her in shock, but resist the urge to deny since I don't really know much about the feeling. Hell, _she's_ the one with a boyfriend. She must have experience with feelings like these! How could I oppose her points without an experience of my own to counter?

"I use to get like that _all the time_ before I asked my boyfriend out!" Ah, there it is. She _does_ have experience. "And even though he could say no, I jumped in and took the chance... Thankfully, he ended up liking me back!" Cecilia grins and nudges my shoulder imploringly with her own, brown eyes sparkling like diamonds. "You should confess now that you know what your real feelings are...! Ask him out! He might have just said he didn't like you because he was afraid of rejection too! If you're completely honest, he will be honest too. Besides, he trusts you."

I bite my lip and shake my head, looking down at the kitten that was now weaving around our hips curiously and still swatting at my hair behind me. "I don't know... Maybe this is a bad idea."

"Hmm... Why don't we go inside and have a talk with Rock? Or in this case, you talk to him- and I observe his reactions from the sideli-"

"Nononono _no!_ " I blurt out in horror, kneeling to face her properly as I make eye contact with the grinning brunette. "I can't do it! The last thing I said to him was that I was _done_ talking with him. I can't just go back on my word twenty minutes later! Besides, Grandpa Light already vetoed the idea of Rock and I creating a relationship. He said I needed to stick to dating huma-!"

My communicator vibrates and cuts me off mid sentence, prompting me to pull it out and scan the screen as I open my messages up.

 **Home2:** _"Phyllis, where are you?! Why did you climb out of the bathroom window?!"_

"Is that Rock messaging you?" Cecilia asks as she leans closer to read.

"Considering the near perfect grammar, the inclusion of alarmed punctuation and the _exclusion_ of mentioning who is sending the message due to their alarm: Yes. It's definitely Rock," I sourly reply, opening my keyboard to message him back despite really not wanting to since...

...Nah, texts don't count!

 **Phyllis:** _"Look around outside, bozo. I'm literally in plain sight."_

I wait patiently after sending, looking up at the house before I feel a hand touch my neck curiously. I jerk a bit in surprise, until I see Cecilia staring at my neck in concern. "What happened to your neck...?" She asks in disbelief.

Her curiosity of my neck makes me self conscious, and I pull back slightly as I make an uneasy face. "I got strangled by a hallucination, I guess," I reply, considering I don't really have a concrete answer to explain it. "Zero got a picture though- so it's not as much of a hallucination as we all originally thought it was. Other than that-"

"Zero? Who's 'Zero'?" She interjects curiously, whom I quickly fill her in on before continuing on about the hallucination.

"I didn't get to see what Zero caught, and I haven't been able to talk to him or Grandpa Light since the attack happened. But that's why my voice sounds raspy and throaty, in case you were wondering," I say, speaking a little louder to show her.

"Oh... I thought you were doing too much hookah or something," she admits, an attempt to brighten up the mood that makes me snort with a playful scowl and push her over so she tilts completely onto her side. At that, the kitten races to her head and swats at her short hair vehemently. When my expression becomes anxious and my worries that she'll shrug off my claims as just crazy talk begin to envelope me, she speaks up again. "I believe you."

My eyes shoot back up to her, shocked by her words even more than she appears to be shocked by mine. "You _do_?" I echo flatly in disbelief.

She smiles at me honestly, head tilted slightly as she sits up and brings the playful kitten on her lap to play with. "Of course I do. Until I'm proven wrong, I believe everything you say... With a grain of salt of course, but regardless if it's true or false, I'm here with you every step of the way. I'm not going to let you ignore me anymore- don't worry!" Her face becomes a creepy grin as she leans closer mockingly. "You'll _never_ get rid of me."

"Oh- _kaaay!_ Lemme stop you right there before you go all _'seven days'_ on me..." I tease as she stands back up and grabs my hand to pull me up with her. Of course, as observant as she is, she instantly feels the strange cool stone in my palm and pauses to blink and look down at my hand curiously.

"Whoa...! Pretty," she comments upon turning my hand over and back to touch the cool stones. When her fingers graze the stone, I jerk in surprise and she yanks her hand back to look at my shorter form in confusion. "What? Did I hurt you? Sorry!"

"No, no, it didn't hurt. It kind of tickled...? You're the first person to notice those actually. They just kinda appeared on my hands after the attack in the lab earlier... I have no idea how they got there," I state, tapping the stone with my other finger.

"'They'?" She inquires, which makes me raise both my palms to reveal both blue-green hued dome crystals.

"'They'," I confirm with an uneasy nod.

She takes one of my hands again to gently touch the stone. It's _definitely_ a ticklish sensation that her touch is giving the rocks, but how can I _feel_ it? Are the stones organic? What even _are_ they?!

"This is _crazy_...! Because this is totally proof that you're _not_ crazy!" Cecilia states, holding my hand tightly and looking back up at me as if she's had an epiphany. "Phyllis, you yourself are your own proof that everything that's been happening to you is _real!_ I mean-!"

"HEY!"

Cecilia and I look back towards the house to see the familiar short figure of Rock running over to our hill, his breathing completely stable as he reaches us and suddenly halts when he notices Cecilia beside me. His expression becomes shocked- his left eye twitching slightly when his eyes drag down to our linked hands.

"Oh. Am I interrupting something?" He asks rather shortly, causing me to look down and narrow my eyes on Cecilia when I see her eyes flash with purpose. Before I know it, she suddenly shifts closer to my side with a seductive air to her body language, an obvious attempt to get a rise out of Rock.

"I dunno! Phyllis, _is_ he interrupting something?" She teases with a sultry voice and a pucker of her lips as she leans closer- to the point that I have to plant a hand on her face and push her back a foot away.

"No, you are _not_ interrupting anything- because there is nothing _to_ interrupt," I comment dryly as Cecilia shifts back from me and drops my hand- not before sending me a look that says our conversation will continue later.

"Anyways, nice to see you again, Rock! Phyl, I'd love to stay, but I better head back before my _boyfriend_ ," I roll my eyes and grumble incoherently at her emphasis, "wakes up and finds me gone. After all, he hates waking up without his morning cuddles~!"

 _Dear God,_ I think with a single raised eyebrow as she scoops up the kitten and uses it's paw to wave at me. Before she shifts back to leave, she walks back up to me and hugs me quickly. My heart immediately warms with comfort, until it's broken by the kitten climbing to her shoulder so it can swat at both of our hair. At that, she snickers with laughter and untangles the energetic cat from my tresses.

"Say bye-bye, kitty-kins!" She chirps as she's walking down the hill to her car, opening it up with fingerprint and hopping in with the kitten. Before she zooms off, she gives me one last wave that I return- and she leaves with a leftover flash of her red tail lights as she eventually turns a corner.

...

" _Who_ was that?" Rock demands a little bit after, his blue eyes turning away from the street to look at me.

At first, I feel a spark of anger at the way he asks me that question, but a quick exhale later, I stop my emotions from bursting.

"That was Cecilia, Rock. You didn't recognize her? I called her because of that kitten she took. That's its mother down there," I explain, pointing down at the cat in the street that he might not have noticed until then. Considering his visible surprise, I'm guessing he was far too concerned with me to pay attention to it upon crossing the street before.

"Oh, that was _Cecilia_? Holy crap, she's grow-" Rock starts, before halting his words immediately. I can't help the way my face twists in immense amusement when I remember the _last_ time he said those words. Apparently, Rock remembers it too, because his face goes tomato red beside me as he realizes what he's repeating. Things are still very awkward between us- and I know an argument can break out at any moment if I don't control my feelings or what I say, but I'm just too amused _not_ to say anything after this. Besides, we have to forgive each other _sometime_ right?

"Has she now? Hm. I didn't think you'd be able to tell-" I nearly sputter with laughter as I prepare my jab, "-with her _clothes_ on...!"

Rock whips his head in my direction to scowl at me in warning. "Excuse me?! I'm _trying_ to make things as non-awkward as possible! You're not helping!" He accuses, which makes me abruptly stop laughing to say something.

"I like you," I drop as casually as possible, right before immediately walking straight past him and back towards the house without checking behind to see his reaction. If my jab didn't make things awkward before then _that_ definitely is the icing to the cake that is the air of awkwardness between us.

 _Did I really just do that? Oh my God, I really just did that,_ I think with hollow disbelief. _That was totally not the right time to drop the bomb on him, oh my God, what have I done?_

My face is an expression of horror as I enter the house through the front door, visibly startling Ice as he passes the front door with Cut at his side. When Ice slaps a hand on Cut's arm to get his attention on me, they both halt dead in their tracks to give me gawks of surprise.

"Uh, you okay there, Doc-ette? You look like you've seen a ghost... Which I wouldn't doubt you for at all considering what happened earlier," Cut says carefully, speaking as if any wrong word will shatter me like glass.

"I'm just tired," I lie right to their face- and by the looks of it, it's a terrible lie as per usual.

"...Okay then. Sleep tight," Ice answers, despite the expressions on their faces that show exactly how much they believe my words. My guess is that they're sparing me of their questions so I can get some sleep...

"Hnn..." I grunt in reply as I drag myself up the stairs like a zombie- partially due to the repercussions my confession may have on me later, and half because I'm just in desperate need of sleep.

When I reach my bedroom, I don't even bother to close the door- walking in and landing face down on my bed. The nice feeling of sleep takes over my mind like a blanket, and for a moment, I can't help but smile at all the drama and distractions in my life. There's so much that it almost makes me forget about the shadow creatures that are, confirmed as of tonight, still following me.

...

 _Does this mean I don't have to go on that date tomorrow?_

* * *

 **A/N:** Guys, guys, guys- Part 1 of this story (the _Classic_ fraction) was originally only supposed to be four chapters. _FOUR!_

I was so impatient about getting to the X Era (Part 2), but I actually enjoy how well taking my time has improved on Phyllis character. At first, I wasn't putting too much thought in her characterization until the X Era, but with a little spice here and sugar there... This has been a good first half.


	10. P 1 - Ch 10: GONE

**Extra long fraction-finale! Enjoy the special~! :D**

* * *

 **Part 1 - Ch. 10: GONE**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

I yawn and sit up when sleep begins to wear off on me, running a hand down my face as I blink my sleepy eyes to see someone sitting in my room with an 'E' tank at hand- staring aimlessly out the window across my bed. As soon as I move though, I see the motion of their head turning to face me.

Unable to see with the water in my eyes, I rub the corners furiously until I can make out... Zero!

"Oh!" I chirp, immediately offering him a bright smile when he watches me straighten up properly to greet him. "Good morning, Zero!"

...

"Wait... Why are you here?" I ask curiously, blinking at him before looking around my room in confusion for any sign of maybe another robot. "Weren't you with my grandfather down in the basement?"

Zero nods, pulling himself up onto his feet and fixing his long blonde hair with his 'E' easily balanced in his grip. "He was just looking through my memory files. He wanted as many shots of what I caught before he sent me out of the lab," Zero explains, watching me take a moment to absorb this before I nod in confirmation. "Afterwards, he gave me a few 'E' tanks and sent me upstairs to watch over you while you slept in case another thing came back."

My stomach twists in discomfort at that. "In case another thing _came back"._ Just the thought alone was enough to make me tremble under Zero's blue eyed gaze. He seems curious by my physical reaction, but doesn't ask me about it like many of the robot masters would when they are first activated. Seems like Zero isn't a very vocal robot... But at least he isn't speaking Hungarian or anything- that would be embarrassing!

"I see. So... Where are the other robots?" I ask carefully, making sure to lower my voice slightly as I look past him towards the open door of my room.

Zero, oblivious to my lowered voice, glances behind himself in slight confusion before looking back at me with that ever so serious face. It doesn't seem like he gathers the situation, as he simply replies in a normal tone, "They're downstairs speaking to Doctor Light. Why are you changing the volume of your voice?"

"Shh! Don't speak so loud! I don't want them to know I'm awake yet," I whisper quickly, tiptoeing past him into the hall to peek around and make sure it's just Zero and I upstairs like he said. "Stay here, I'm gonna spy on them."

Zero seems like he doesn't understand a thing, but he obediently waits in my room (albeit with a single raised eyebrow) as I take quiet steps down the stairs with my body against the wall to keep myself as hidden as possible, the theme for the 21st century's old _Mission Impossible_ movies playing in the back of my mind as I sneakily edge closer to the end of the steps.

I can hear the voice of Grandpa Light as he speaks to the robots in the kitchen, in the perfect location for me to listen in without leaving the confines of the stairway.

"...Important to keep Phyllis safe if what these things she's been seeing are still following her. She needs our support now more than ever, including listening to her, being on her good side, and not frustrating her," Grandpa Light pauses here, thought I'm not sure why since I can't see him, "under _any_ circumstances."

"Question!" It's Cut's voice that speaks now. "What are we gonna do about that date of hers? Is she still going? 'Cause... I don't think dates include bringing your friends. Or robots."

"Shh!" There's a metallic bonk here that makes me roll my eyes, even though it's not Rock that is hitting him this time, but Ice. "Lower your voice or Zero'll hear you! And you already know he's young- that robot will tell Phyllis _everything!"_

"Sorry, sorry! Sheesh, why do we even have to keep all this planning from Doc-ette anyways? You really think she wouldn't want us around to keep her safe, Doc?" Cut speaks up again, his tone dropping slightly to express his discomfort.

"It's not that she wouldn't _want_ us around to watch over her. It's that she might get stressed out and feel claustrophobic thinking those _things_ are everywhere- and knowing that we're watching over her will only add another layer of those walls," Roll explains formally for Cut to understand, prompting me to make a face of annoyance. "Not to mention that if she starts thinking they might come back for her- which they very well _might...!"_

...

"Zero didn't tell Doc-ette we sent him up there to make sure that thing doesn't come back for her, did he?" Cut ponders quietly, causing my lips to purse at his tone of worry.

 _What?_ Seriously _?! I'm not_ that _sensitive!_ I think, rolling my eyes and mouthing, _"Whatever,"_ at their silly notions. _Hmm... I don't hear Grandpa Wily's input. Doesn't seem like he's back home yet..._

"Exactly. Thank you, Roll," Grandpa Light speaks up again. "As for her date, I'm sure she'll be fine. She'll be having that strapping young man to watch her for a portion of the day. When she comes back, _then_ we can start worrying about her again. I'm sure a beats reporter for the digital paper like him will take care of my granddaughter."

Following a soft snort of disdain, it seems like there's a beat of silence, but Grandpa Light speaks up again and I hesitate taking the first step back up the stairs. "Oh, one more thing... Rock."

I hear a squeak, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. Did _Rock_ just _squeak?_ ...'Cause that's kind of adorable.

I cover my mouth when a stupid, goofy smile forms across my face, making me mentally scold myself for my idiocy. Oh, _please,_ Phyllis, get a _grip_ on yourself. He doesn't even like you and he's a _robot,_ do I have to keep reminding you that?

Despite my efforts, the smile persists.

"You and Phyllis need to deal with whatever issue is going between the two of you. Even if you have to _lie,_ I don't care. I don't want to give Phyllis any reason to run away or sneak out by herself- you know how she is when she's frustrated," Grandpa Light says, making my jaw drop in shock.

Even if he has to _lie?!_

"I-It's not that simple! I can't just-!" Rock stammers, but Grandpa Light isn't having any excuses.

"Yes you can, and you _will._ You're a smart boy, you'll figure out something," Grandpa Light audibly waves his question off. "The rest of you know your jobs. Above all though, act natural. No need to alarm Phyllis that we've planned this."

Tch! Phyllis already _knows,_ Gramps! Phyllis already _doesn't_ _approve_ either!

"Well, guys... I guess it's time to _cut_ to the chase!" Oh god. That's Cut making another stupid pun on his name... Sheesh, doesn't he _ever_ get tired of puns?

"Stop talking, Cut. For _our_ sake," Ice dryly grumbles in relation to Cut's manic giggling.

Now that their conversation is done, I quickly tiptoe up the stairs while the movements in the kitchen near my hiding spot, turning the corner and darting back to my room where Zero is sitting on my bed looking over my ETR with clear interest.

Thankfully, I'm in my room when my communicator goes off and dive for it before Zero can pick it up to observe it with his sticky fingers. I give him a sassy look, but get no clear reaction from it when Zero stares at me with no real expression... and eventually returns to studying my ETR. Once I'm given space, I turn on my device and scan my messages to see one new text from the Tissue.

One quick look at the time and I gawk when I read 3:30 PM in the afternoon, cursing myself for standing the Tissue up (I'm not _that_ cold!) until I check the messages to see that he'd sent me his message way before our decided date time the night before.

 **Chris:** _"Change of plan- meet up at the restaurant at 6 pm for a reservation under Michaels."_

I frown in confusion. Why a change of time? Hmm... Maybe he's tired and wants to nap more?

My fingers quickly dance across my keyboard with accurate taps, leaving me with a one word confirmation.

 **Phyllis:** _"Gotcha."_

I make another irritated gesture before tossing my communicator at the bed, watching dumbly as it bounces off the edge and hits the floorboards of my room loudly with enough force that the robots downstairs- and Grandpa Light- are sure to hear.

I close my eyes and thread my fingers along my scalp to take a few deep breaths and calm myself.

 _I am not emotional, I am not sensitive... I am not emotional, I am not sensitive... I'm dealing JUST. FINE._

I'm definitely not dealing just fine.

I double back to my bedroom door to shut it and lock upon hearing footsteps climbing the stairs. Once I'm sure it's locked, I step back a foot with a gruff grunt of vexation. Following that is soft knocking on my door that only makes me roll my eyes much to Zero's confusion when he glances up from my ETR to see what's going on.

"Phyllis? It's Rock... Can we talk?" I hear my favorite robot inquire with carefully executed words.

At first, I almost relent and get up to open the door... Until I remember the last thing I'd said to him and feel my eyes widen in horror.

 _I like you._

Ohhhh, nnnooooooooooooooo...

"No!" I blurt out, crossing my arms and looking to Zero despite his attention having returned to my ETR to read my installed textbooks. Why he's interested in reading those, I have no idea, but I guess power to him if he likes that kind of stuff...

Rock is quiet for a beat, before stiffly asking, "Can I ask why _not_?"

I bite my lip. "B-Because! Phyllis isn't here! Phyllis went to China!" I add

I hear Rock sigh from the other side of the door. "Come on, Phyllis, we should _talk_! I don't want things to be like this forever," he says, before adding, "I miss you."

 _Ouch!_ I think, grabbing at my thorax as it throbs in guilt at his words. _Right in the feels!_

"The answer is still no. I'm not coming out of this room _whatsoever_ for the next twenty years! Go bug Cut Man!" I say, walking back over to flop on my bed and lean back against the headboard with a scowl.

"...Phyllis, you're going to get hungry sooner or later. You love food and _hate_ being starved. Eventually you're coming out," Rock comments rather triumphantly, making me glance over at the pile of snacks I'd collected on my night table early yesterday evening.

"I'm covered. It's like a nuclear fallout shelter in here- I don't need to come out at _all,"_ I retort with a proud smile of my own, ripping open a chocolate chip granola bar and taking a generous bite while I have my moment.

"The shower's out in the hall," Rock says.

"There's a bathtub I can use just fine in my restroom."

"Purified water's out in the kitchen."

"I'll drink the tap from my bathroom, it's purified up here too."

"The air conditioner is broken upstairs!"

"I have a ceiling fan."

" _People_ are downstairs!"

"I have Zero in here."

"...What?! _Zero?!"_ Rock sounds so insulted as he asks this, and I can't help the malicious grin that rises to my face.

"Yep! Zero, say something," I brightly tell my much taller android, who obeys without even looking up from my ETR.

"Something," he speaks up casually, but falls silent once more when his service is done.

"Zero, will you open the door for me?" Rock tries, but Zero doesn't even budge, other than to swipe left to turn the electronic page of my tablet. I can't help but giggle when I hear Rock groan from the other side of the door.

" _Phyllis,_ I am _begging you._ Please talk to me...!" I hear Rock groan in desperation, making a thump against my door and a sound of something sliding downwards along its surface. He sounds like he's ready to give up, so I roll my eyes and stand up to walk to the door of my bedroom. Of course, just as I'm about to unlock it, I hear Rock add, "Why are you such a drama queen...?

I jerk my hand back from the handle like it's burned me and give the door an open mouthed incredulous look of disbelief. " _Excuse me?!"_ I snarl loudly, startling Zero into jumping onto his feet at my volume. I leave him ignored, because oh my _God!_ Rock can't call me a drama queen! Only _I_ can call myself that!

Rock seems horrified on the other side. "N-no wait! I didn't mean it like it sounds! It's totally endearing, I swear!" He tries to save himself, but the deed is already done.

I glare at the door, in hopes of making Rock catch fire on the other side with only my mind. "Go away and come back in an hour. _Maybe then_ I'll think about forgiving you, _jerkazoid!_ " I snap from my side, turning away from the door and hustling back to my bed where Zero watches me carefully to see if I'm truly alright. "Word to the wise: _think_ before you _speak,_ so you don't _exacerbate the situation!"_

I hear something loud being grabbed, along with a zapping sound that makes me turn and immediately squeak in horror when I see Zero clutching the base of my night table lamp in his grip like a weapon. "Should I eliminate your stressor?" Zero asks seriously from where he stands over by my bed, causing me to jump in horror and face him with my hands up.

"Th-that a little too much, no thank you!" I stammer, horrified to hear that Zero would be easily willing to destroy one of my other robots if he feels they're a danger to me. I _did_ install the three laws on him, so he should be good, but... _Eeek!_

Zero eyes my palms, making me stiffen in remembrance of the stones embedded in them- but instead of making a big deal, Zero doesn't seem to find it odd and simply nods. He sits back down and tosses my lamp on my bed as if the sight of the stones are normal, picking up my ETR to continue where he left off. For a second I blink in confusion, until I remember that Zero, despite his size and appearance, is mentally much younger than the rest of the robots in the house. How ironic, that the younger looking robots are actually older than this big lug of a 'bot...

...

I bite into my granola bar on my night table again, crumbling the empty wrapper as I listen to Rock grumble incoherently and walk back downstairs to probably report back to Grandpa Light about his progress on getting me to forgive him even if he "has to lie". Ha! Wait till he tells Gramps what he did _this_ time.

"SHE'S KIMBERLY'S DAUGHTER, ALRIGHT!" Rock audibly barks from downstairs, making me snicker at his comment. Mom is pretty stubborn and cold when she wants to be. I guess I can see the momentary resemblance...

"What did you do, Rock?" I hear Roll demand harshly, while I snicker even more beside Zero.

"I went up to apologize and that- that _BRAT_ wouldn't let me in! She just completely shut me down even though I was trying to be nice!"

Oh, so I'm a _brat_ now too? Okay, FINE! They want to all be nice so I don't run away and shit? I'm _leaving_ then! RIGHT NOW!

I get up on my feet and snatch up clean clothes from my dresser, including some dark black-blue skinny jeans and a fitted maroon red hoodie, changing clothes without even a care for Zero being in the room. Of course, he's a robot though, so I'm sure he doesn't _really_ count as someone of the opposite gender.

I look up to see Zero still engrossed in my ETR, shrugging carelessly and pulling up my hood of my hoodie and grabbing my wallet off of my dresser to tuck into my pants pocket. I make sure to cover the bruised ring around my neck with my hair, pulling my sweater up as added concealment. No need to startle anyone if they see that.

"Hey, Zero, I'm sneaking out. Take your time and go tell everyone so we can see how fast they react. If they ask whether you know anything... Tell them you know nothing," I say casually as I quickly tuck my communicator into my pocket, pushing open my window while Zero slowly stands up and walks over to my bedroom door. A small snicker slips past my grin at his incapability of understanding the true meaning of my words due to being a new-built. While Zero heads downstairs to tell the others, I hop onto the roof carefully and slide down to a tree beside my bedroom window, quickly scaling down the branches until I hit the grassy lawn and sprint off down the street as fast as I can.

A smile of adrenaline rises up to my face as I turn the corner and spot the movement of older robots running out of my house as I turn. Thankfully, I vanish around the corner before they can see me make the turn.

HA! Take that, losers! Rebellious teenager is rebellious! Try boxing me in _now_!

My breath is short and coming out quickly by the time I reach the shopping district, diving into the troves of paying customers as I look around for something to pass time with before my date.

 _I'll just be an asshole and drop in with what I'm wearing right now, I can save my dress for something better! It's too cute to waste on a tissue!_ I silently say to myself, nodding as I eye the restaurant down a street towards the back of the district where I'll be meeting the Tissue up at. _Besides, not like I wanted to even go on this date to begin with. I got persuaded against my better judgment!_

I tuck my hair further into my hood as I walk down the street, keeping an eye out to make sure none of the robots are around here looking for me.

 _Like the ultimate hide and seek...!_ I think with a cackle, jumping when my eyes catch a familiar figure and shape somewhere ahead of me.

I turn into a tattoo parlor just in time when I spot Cut talking to people at a corner by a crosswalk just a few meters from where I am, looking around and likely asking people if they've seen me nearby. Lucky robot, he picked the correct place to search for me! Now he just has to catch me, and I certainly won't make that easy on him.

The shop is empty as I walk over to a gallery of options for tattoos, pretending to scan its contents as I keep my vision half on the lookout by the store window. As I turn the third page, I see Cut pass the shop without an attempt to glance in. Of course... Why _ever_ would Phyllis Wily-Light enter a tattoo parlor? They know I hate needles...

...But then again, what better way to mark the rise of my rebellion?

Depending on the ink colors, the size of the tattoo, and the time spent making it, getting a tattoo would be expensive. I could always go for a piercing. Maybe a tongue piercing?

 _NO WAY,_ my brain screams, and I laugh a little at my idiocy as I close the booklet and turn to exit the store. On the way out, I feel my comm. device vibrate and frown. The robots and Grandpa Light would be able to find me using it... But on the flipside, I sort of need it on in case something serious _does_ happen to occur.

 _God, I don't want to think about that. Why do these things always happen to me? Why not somebody else?! What did I do to deserve this...?_

With a grimace, I pull my comm. device out of my pocket to read my new message.

 **LGramps:** _"Why. Do. You. Always. RUN AWAY?! Running away from me isn't going to solve anything, Phyllis! We should have a civil conversation about what you said yesterday without either of us pointing fingers or yelling. I promise I won't be a jerk!"_

I roll my eyes and shift to tuck it back in my pocket, until another message has me pulling it back to my line of sight and waking the screen up. Now what?

 **LGramps:** _"Okay, you're not answering... Either you're excessively mad or you left your phone back at home. I'm really hoping you're getting my messages."_

My communicator vibrates again.

 **LGramps:** _"Phyllis? Light of my life? Drama Queen but still my Queen? Anything? No?"_

His _queen?!_ Yeah, right! 'Cause _obviously_ it's common practice to insult royal monarchs by calling them excessively dramatic! TOTALLY!

Screw you, Rock.

I tuck my communicator away successfully as I walk down the street and turn into a corner... only to stop and take a seat on a bench beside a gently trickling fountain, kicking my feet up across the bench entirely as I meditate on my actions.

 _...He's right. Running away from my problems isn't going to make them go away... They'll just keep following me around if I do that. What about Rock though? He can't always just accuse me of things just because he thinks he can fix them after! That's like spitting on somebody all the time and expecting them to continue to forgive you even though you continue to repeat the action after the initial apology. Are you kidding?! Why am_ I _in fault for_ his _issues? Of_ course _I'll want to avoid the topic if he's just going to apologize and then continue to harass me for my feelings again!_

I cross my arms and glare down at my lap, clicking my tongue in irritation.

 _Forget Rock! What about the other robots and Grandpa Light? Are they_ still _gonna treat me like glass even_ after _we've learned that those shadow-things are not hallucinations of my mind?! They have no right to keep things from me! They happened to_ me _after all, not_ them! _They're_ my _problems to deal with!_

"Phyl?"

My eyes snap open and I look up from my lap to see a tall figure standing next to me. At first, I nearly flip out of my mind thinking it's Zero or Grandpa Light, both of whom are quite tall in comparison to the robot masters. There's no gray armor color or white lab coat though, so when I catch a familiar shade of light green hair, I relax and smile.

"Peter!" I say, delighted to see him- until I remember exactly why I have my hoodie on and my hair tucked away in my hood, which causes my expression to contort into fear as I realize what might now happen. " _Peter!"_ I repeat, this time in a much more startled tone when I jump up to my feet and swing off the bench.

"...Phyl...?" Peter repeats in slight confusion, leering at me for a moment before his eyes flick up to my hood and cringing posture. "Why do you look like you need to go to the bathroom?"

I almost face palm at his comment, but grab his wrist and drag him past the fountain and behind a nearby corner leading into a small alley out of the mall. My movements are brisk, and despite Peter having the longer legs, he struggles to keep up.

"Phyllis, what are you-?!" He begins with a growl, until I stop and look around nervously. He seems to understand and relaxes to give me a ' _seriously?'_ look before, "You've snuck off from Grandpa Light again, haven't you?"

I scoff in offense, "No!"

...

Insert an eye roll of resignation here. _"Yes_... But this time it's not because I'm trying to get back at them for something! _They_ started it!"

Peter's eyebrows rise up as he leans forward to get in my face. "'They started it' sounds _exactly_ like you're trying to get back at them for something, baby sis..." He notifies me with narrowed eyes, causing my expression to fall with disgust.

"Don't call me that, _Petey,"_ I stress, before leaning back to get some space. "...Fine, I ran away to get back at them again. So? You know what they did? They totally-!" I cut myself off before I can finish, my brain pulling the reigns of my mouth shut as my thoughts scream at me to think about my words.

 _Peter doesn't know about the incident in the basement of Grandpa Wily's house. I could tell him what happened and even bring him to the basement to have Grandpa Light show him the pictures... But there's a good chance Grandpa Light won't want him to know and worry about it like me. I mean, if Gramps is willing to have the robots pretend it didn't happen to keep me from thinking about it, then I'm sure he might pretend to not know what I'm talking about in front of Peter..._

What do I tell my brother then?

 _I should tell him the truth, obviously! Even if he doesn't believe me or I don't get Grandpa Light to show him the pictures._

...

"They totally what?" Peter asks, raising an eyebrow at my extended pause as I collect my thoughts to properly tell him.

 _Come on!_ I bite my lip as I flick my eyes around nervously. _Tell him already!_

...

"W-well, more like _just_ Rock..." I stammer, suddenly feeling incredibly insecure as I delve into _that_ issue rather than the grander scale of things. In the end... I guess I don't know how to tell him. Keeping the shadow issue from him like Grandpa Light would do is probably the best choice of action. Peter wouldn't be able to do anything anyways... Grandpa Light and the robots sure don't seem confident about dealing with the shadow incident- other than pretending it doesn't exist.

 _Running away from it isn't going to solve the problem._

But there's no other way, is there? Fighting can only last so long... We don't even know _what_ _they are._

Reality crashes into me like an ocean wave, pulling me under and suffocating me with the harsh truth of the situation- that there is no way out other than if _they_ give up on trying to take me. They've waited years for this moment, right? Played around with my sanity and emotions like a yo-yo... and then got my hopes up that everything was over.

Now they're back.

"What did Rock do? Did he huwt youw feewings again?" Peter decides to mock me, snapping me out of my haunting thoughts for a moment that I'm particularly grateful for- even if it's over something completely stupid and irritating.

"Shut up, Peter, I'm allowed to be angry if we have an argument. I should apologize and stuff, yeah, but I want to release my steam a little right now," I huff with a smile twitching at the corner of my lips.

"Alright, alright, don't get mad at _me_ now... But really, what _did_ Rock do?" Peter inquires, making me frown and turn to face him with a snarl across my face at the memory.

"ROCK totally...! He- um..." I feel the steam within me begin to dwindle as I think back to the events back in the house, my hands dropping from a gesture I'm in the middle of making as I relax and bite my lip in contemplation. Rock didn't really do anything now that I think about it...? He just wanted to talk things out like mature adults... and I totally flipped out on him even though I already apologized for our last argument in Grandpa Wily's living room and totally flipped after that as well by scaring him with the possibility of my death. Oh shit, am I _really_ a drama queen...? He has every right to call me that! "Heee... Did _something_?"

Peter slaps his palm against his face so loud I almost think he's broken his nose, until he removes it to give me a look. "Are you telling me you snuck away without even being sure about why you're mad at Rock?"

I bite my lip more, and then a thought passes my mind- which I promptly blurt out to defend myself before Peter turned on his "scolding brother-mother" mode.

"AH! He accused me of liking him!" I blurt out, watching Peter cock his head to the side slightly and reply with, "Wait, you _don't_ like him then?"

"What? That's... That's not the issue! It's what I'm telling you he accused me of!" I say, my hand gestures at an all time speed to keep up with my fast paced memory of my issues. "He said I had a crush on him! He made a _huge_ deal out of it! He pointed fingers and made me feel like shit with what he said!"

"...I repeat: Wait, you _don't like him then?"_ Peter asks, causing my jaw to drop as he stares seriously at me. "I thought you _did_ have a crush on him. If all he's done is pointed out is that you like him and he's right, then why are you so angry at him?"

I'm still in the process of bending down to pick up my jaw from the floor as Peter stares at me and sighs heavily.

"So... He accused you of having feelings for him... Because you didn't tell the truth and return _his_ feelings or something? Is that it?" Peter asks as I immediately reattach my jaw back to my cranium.

 _"No!_ Rock doesn't have feelings for me. He said so himself! No feelings for me whatsoever," I spit out rather pointedly at the ground, watching Peter crack a smile as he takes a step closer and throws an arm across my shoulders to bring my attention back up to him from the floor.

"Phyllie, Phyllie, Phyllie... Rock has feelings for you, and if he says he doesn't, he is _lying like a dog._ Trust me, Rock got bit by the love bug the minute he woke up and saw you," Peter informs me, though despite how sure he sounds, my mind just rewinds back to last night in Grandpa Wily's living room.

 _"I'll be clear about this, Phyllis, I_ don't _have feelings for you like that."_

At the memory of his tone, his words, and his expression as he said it, I grab at my hair and release a fierce cry of frustration. "I DON'T CARE! I hate him! I hate him for _hurting me!"_ I snap, shoving Peter's arm off of me. "I don't want to talk to him! I should have _never_ told him to begin with! He's just a _stupid robot!_ He's-!" I cut myself off when Peter steps back, looking at me like I'm going crazy _all_ over again. "Can you _not_ look at me like that?!"

"Wha- like what?" Peter asks in confusion, shaking his head like he's trying to figure me out.

"Like _this!"_ I try to mimic his slouching posture and wide-eyed dumbo expression with added dramatization, watching as Peter's expression slowly turns up- until he begins snorting with laughter and eventually falls completely victim to the giggles. As I wait for him to recuperate, my body relaxes while he laughs and attempts to straighten himself up.

I glance around quickly to scan for any potential robots before relaxing completely and reaching up to pull my hood off.

"I'm sorry, Sis. You're just kind of scary right now- I've never seen you hung up on a boy issue as much as you're hung up on this one right now. Normally you just shoo them away and think nothing of all the hearts you've broken," Peter chuckles, smiling at me as he takes one of my arms and pulls me over to give me a hug.

"A heartbreaker?! I am _not!"_ I say, horrified at the idea. "It's not my fault I don't have an interest in the guys that try and get at me!"

"Yeah... But this time it's Rock. Not just some random guy you can ignore. And you also like him _back_ this time- which is even bigger. You've never been on a date before, right? I think all you need to do is step back from the situation for a while and look at the bigger picture before you get all huffy and mad at anyone. Do you agree?" Peter asks, hands sliding up from my elbows to land on my shoulders and rub my sore muscles.

"...I guess..." I mumble, feeling heat return to my cheeks at the thought of apologizing for my stupid actions and having to sit in probably the same room as Rock. "I don't really _want_ to, but I get that I should..."

"Alright. So... What time is your date again?" Peter asks, before I glance down at my comm. device to read the time and-

 _ **5:45 PM.**_

 _"Shit!"_ I blurt out, pulling my hood up and taking off to a run out of the alley. "At this rate I'll be late!"

That walk home has to have been the fastest I've ever walked to Grandpa Wily's house and back out, barely finishing to put on chapstick as I nearly stumble down the sidewalk.

I walk with hurried steps into the restaurant I've agreed to meet the Tiss- I mean, Chris at in black heels that are short heeled enough to not hurt my feet as I listen to the pleasant sound of clicks against the tile as I walk in and fix the fluff of my short black and gold dress- pushing the lower wiry skirt down gently against my hips and thighs. It's pretty much a simple black dress with a sweetheart neckline and no straps, which looks like it's had its skirt half dipped in gold dust, pretty enough to be fancy, but not fancy enough to drag too much attention towards me.

My hands immediately reach up to make sure my ponytail is still tied under my black ribbon, my pink ribbon wrapped around my left wrist decoratively even though the only other pink thing I have is my purse.

 _I look like a joke,_ I grumble to myself silently, rolling my eyes before walking up to a host at the entrance of the establishment.

"Hello! How can I help you today, miss?" He asks, giving me a worker's bright welcoming smile.

"Hi, I'm here for a reservation under..." I fish my communicator out for a moment to read the name it's under, cursing myself for having to look at my comm. device rather than remember it. What can I say? Everything about the Tissue is forgettable... "Under 'Michaels'?"

The host looks down at the ledger opened on the pedestal beside him, scanning the names until he nods in confirmation and grabs a menu from beneath the ledger.

"Alright, follow me, please!" He chirps, taking to a brisk walk that I can barely keep up with even though I'm not even wearing such tall heels. Once we get to our destination, I see Chris in his seat and receive a dazzling smile that only makes me feel nauseous rather than at ease.

"Hi, Phyllis," Chris says, getting up to pull out my chair for me while the waiter sets my menu in front of me. Already, I want to go home and curl up on my bed with a fuzzy blanket and a bucket of mint 'n' chip ice cream.

"Hi, Chris," I say, touching my throat where I have on a black velvet ribbon choker with a single gold heart pendant on the front to hide the bruised ring around my neck. My voice is still scratchy, but other than a look of worry, Chris doesn't delve in to asking- much to my relief. Brownie points for him on that front.

"So... You look very pretty," he starts off, causing my lips to curl in a smile as I avert my gaze bashfully. Okay, maybe it won't be _so_ bad...

"I actually didn't have anything else to wear, so I had to go out and buy it this morning," I confess with a small laugh, watching Chris grin when I muster the courage to look back up at him. Strange... Over messages, everything didn't seem all that promising and I sort of wanted nothing to do with him. Now that he's here in person though, something makes me want to have a good time and impress him. It might not be that I'm interested in him- and am more so interested in the process of dating itself, but it's... Nice.

I like it.

"You could have worn that red dress from yesterday. Did you get it dirty? I think it could have lasted another day being worn," he says with a chuckle, causing me to giggle at the remembrance of my worries over whether it would have been bad to wear it a second time.

"It completely wet- I fell in some water with it and it's being dried off right now at home," I explain, watching his grin twitch in amusement- and I can't help but wonder if it's got anything to do with some kind of undetected innuendo he's not making for the purpose of being decent.

It makes my own lips twitch with the need to snicker, until he finally lets out the first giggle and we start laughing amongst each other with barely understandable apologies over our immaturity.

"Well... Where have you been all my life?" He jokes, lifting up his glass of water towards his natural pink lips to take a sip. I watch with interest as his throat muscles move to bring it down inside of him- unlike the way Rock simply poured his 'E' tank past his lips and it slid down without any force or direction.

 _I gave Zero the reflex capabilities to swallow and move certain parts of his components in other areas of his body... I wonder if Grandpa Light may upgrade Rock once we finish building X?_

Chris places his water back down, just as our server comes by with a very common smile that nearly all workers here are wearing.

"Hello, love birds~! I'm Jensen and I'll be your server for the day. Are you two celebrating anything together like a birthday?" The man asks, pulling out some silverware wrapped in cloths and placing them beside each of us.

"No, not today. Just a first date," Chris explains casually, watching the server carefully as he straightens up in his seat.

"Alright... Shall we start off with drinks then?" The server inquires, looking back towards Chris and I as Chris glances at the drinks section.

"I'll stick with my water, I think," I say, causing Chris to look up in odd surprise as I speak.

"Are you sure? You can' have whatever you want, don't worry. I've got the money for it," he says, prompting me to bite my lip and flip my menu over to scan the drinks available to young adults my age. After all, not like we could order alcohol since- "I'll take one of your oldest aged cabernet sauvignons," Chris speaks, causing my eyes to jump up to him before I glance down at my menu and in my confusion, blurt out, "I'll take a sparkling cider."

"Alright! I'll get those drinks for you and come back to take your orders then," the server says, walking off and leaving me to look over at Chris in mild astonishment.

"How old are you?" I ask curiously, watching his eyes slide over to me from his menu as he gives me a soft wink.

"Twenty-five," He says, before he frowns in confusion... and straightens when a thought suddenly enters his mind. "How old are _you?"_

"Eighteen... I'll be nineteen in a month," I explain, watching his tension fade with a sigh he releases as I tell him my age.

"Alright, then, that's okay," He says, but the swirling pit in my stomach only returns now that his age is out in the open.

 _That's nearly seven years apart from me- he's a year older than Peter...! I knew I shouldn't have gone through with this date!_

I do my best to contain my unease, and if Chris senses it, he makes no sign as he makes up his mind about his order and places his elbows on the table to rest his chin in his hands. He gives me a soft smile that somewhat eases my nerves despite how old he is, but I can still feel that whirlpool inside of me.. I knew he was probably close to Peter's age, but I sort of hoped he was closer to mine at least...

"Decided on anything yet?" His presence still does a good job at relaxing me, likewise his welcoming personality, however I can't help but want to leave.

"Um..." I glance back down at my menu, and out of the need to pick something quickly to keep things from becoming too awkward, I once again, speak before thinking. "I'll do the chicken broccoli alfredo!"

"Great! I came just in time!" The server says, popping out of nowhere and making me flinch strong enough to make Chris chuckle a little before the server looks back up after writing my order down. "And for you, sir?"

 _Just grin and bear it, Phyl, you can do this,_ I promise myself, taking a soft breath as I cross my ankles under the table and look up at Chris when he gives me a bright smile.

"So... Do you have any other talents other than being a mechanic?" He picks up where we left off.

 _Oh my stars, help me through this...!_

* * *

 **(1 and a Half Hours Later or so)**

My fingers clench at the top hem of my dress, magenta eyes flicking wildly around the outdoor shopping district in case a robot is around still looking for me. I can feel Chris's hand press against the small of my back to follow him whenever I begin to slow down, but other than that, he's very respectful of where he places his hands.

We'd finished dinner a half an hour ago, so we decided to just enjoy the evening air and taking a walk. Well, more like _he_ decided, but whatever. Not like I'm actively trying to extend our date any longer than I assume it has to be. It's already 7:45 after all... I have to go home _sometime._

"Did you enjoy dinner then, Phyllis?" He asks, prompting me to look at him and nod quickly- keeping quiet and letting the cool air of the night chill my lungs as I inhale. At my silence, Chris chuckles lightly. "You don't have to be shy or anything, I don't bite."

I manage a smile up at him, reaching up to tighten my ponytail. "Sorry... I'm having a good time, really!" I insist, despite that I'm totally _lying._ Chris doesn't seem to notice, and smiles back down at me as we reach a familiar alley where I once stood talking to Peter at, bringing me into the shadows and towards a wall beside some well tended rosebushes that I only then notice.

My pulse jumps in surprise at the quick change of setting, taking in the dark shadows around like a deer would to car headlights. Chris is, once again, oblivious as he pulls me closer by my waist, causing my arms to sandwich against his chest as I force myself to focus on him and not the shadowed corners of the alley.

Everything about the area is trying to convince me to run through and out of the alley, but my brain refuses to cooperate as soon as I notice Chris slowly leaning down to me. My thoughts on the alley shadows dissipate as I realize what Chris is about to do.

"I'm glad. I had a good time too..." He murmurs, eyes beginning to close and lips inching closer.

 _ **THONK!**_

My body flinches violently just as my eyes are closing, making them snap open as I press my back against the wall. Confusion floods my brain at the sight.

Chris finishes falling backwards and hitting the ground with a heavy thud, the small metallic garbage can that's landed against his head from out of literally _nowhere_ clattering loudly beside him as they both collapse with little to no reason.

As soon as both stop moving, with Chris barely conscious at this point, I raise a single eyebrow in disbelief.

 _Uh... What?_ I wonder, reaching up to touch my lips and only then noticing the gemmy orbs of my hands dimly blinking in my palms. _Oh, what now?!_

The distant snickering of a familiar rowdy robot and the sound of metal clanging against metal in relation has me frowning in disbelief as I look up at the building I'm leaning back against, scanning the side of the top corners to see if I can spot anyone. I can't see them, but oh, I _know_ they're there...

 _So he doesn't like me or find me of interest... But then he goes and sabotages my date despite suggesting I go on it?! Seriously?! What the heck is_ wrong _with him?! And I know it wasn't Cut that pushed it- Rock is the ONLY Doctor Light Number to not have the three laws installed into him!_

I growl between clenched teeth, only to glance back down when the soft blinking of my gemmy palms get brighter. Not wanting those two robots (Rock and Cut) to see, I close my hands into tight fists and start to turn out of the alley, looking back one more time at Chris and grimacing.

 _Sorry, bud, I don't think I can carry you out of here. I'll leave clean-up duty to Rock and Cut for their incompetence..._ I think, walking out of the alley and back into the shopping district.

"Hey, where's that young man you were just with?" A woman standing at the mouth of the alley inquires with a raised eyebrow, causing me to look over at her and shrug.

"He passed out back there. I can't carry him- I haven't the upper arm strength," I explain, watching the woman roll her eyes.

"Must have drunk too much or something and couldn't hide it any longer." She pulls up an electric cigarette towards her lips, taking a drag and exhaling heavily with a headshake. "What a scumbag..."

I can't help but crack a smile at the woman's words. Sure, Chris drank, just not enough to pass out... That bit was _all_ Rock's fault. Stupid robot...

Rather than stay and continue conversing, I speed walk down the street- feeling the buildup of sweat as I clench my fists tightly to keep the light from escaping my hands. Walking slow probably isn't a good idea either, especially now that Cut and Rock have found me.

"...Phyllis!"

I look up ahead from getting lost in my thoughts, just as I spot Grandpa Wily approach me and pull me into a hug I nearly return until I remember my glowing palms. Rather than give him a hug all the way, I at least wrap my arms around him and pull back quickly- keeping my hands closed while he offers me a stern glare of disappointment.

"I heard from Thomas that you snuck off earlier. Seems I caught you on your..." Grandpa Wily looks around me curiously, pulling me towards a bench to sit down and give me a leer of confusion. "Where's your date? Isn't it a little early to be going home now? Why isn't he walking you back?"

I can't help the sour tone that slips on my tongue, a much too sweet smile of understanding forming on across my lips. "Oh, jeez, I wouldn't know! One second we were having a nice walk around the shopping district, the next he passed out a block down the street. I'm sure everything will be fine though! Rock apparently thought it would be, or else I'm sure he wouldn't have dropped that metal garbage can on my date."

Grandpa Wily's expression goes flat with shock.

"...Oh," he answers, before frowning and then shaking his head a little, as if trying to understand would only confuse him even more. "Well then... Would you like a ride home?"

I nod wordlessly, losing the tension in my muscles as we get up and start walking down the street side by side again. I can see a few pedestrians shooting us nasty looks- obviously they've heard of Grandpa Wily's work on his controversial war machines...

"Are you alright?" I jump at Grandpa Wily's query, but immediately smile once I note the honest concern in his eyes.

 _He's not as bad as people think he is. I just wish they wouldn't see him for just his unethical work. If only they knew that he helped make the amazing Light Numbers..._

"I'm okay," I honestly reply, giving Grandpa Wily a bright smile. "I'm better now that I get to spend time with one of my awesome grandfathers."

I watch as Grandpa Wily sighs with a bashful grin, scratching the back of his head as his cheeks dust red. "Don't be a suck up, Phyl. I'm already planning out all the chores you're going to be in charge of at home."

"Aww, _whaaat?"_ I complain dramatically, prompting Grandpa Wily to laugh and look me up and down once.

"You look very nice by the way. I'm sure you knocked that boy's socks off when you walked in," Grandpa Wily compliments me.

"Boy, huh...? He told me he was twenty-five," I blurt without even thinking, causing Grandpa Wily's smile to vanish with the wind. To save myself, I quickly add, "I wouldn't have gone on that date if I knew he was seven years older than me- _honestly._ I'd prefer someone my own age."

My grandfather relaxes again, looking at me with a smile as we walk into the parking lot towards his car. "Of course, Phyllis. I know," he replies warmly.

Once we reach his car, we both pile in and latch our seatbelts on, Wily hesitating to put the vehicle in reverse. Confused, I look over at him curiously in an attempt to spot whatever seems to be bothering him.

"...You know you're the most important person in my life, right, honey?" He asks, reaching over to brush a stray lock of my bangs out of my face. I shoot him a look at my nickname, but all he does is laugh at my reaction.

"Whatever, Gramps..." I grumble, touching my throat at the scratchy way I sound. "You're important to me too, you know?"

Grandpa Wily grins at my answer and moves to put the car out of neutral, until my hand reaches out and stops him before he can. At my interruption, he looks back at me.

"...Hey." The serious look on my face seems to mellow Grandpa Wily out, but as soon as the moment of hesitation passes, I continue with, "Can we get some ice cream on the way back?"

I watch with a snort as his expression shifts to annoyance. "We have ice cream at home," he dryly comments, turning the car into reverse and pulling out of the lot.

"Ew! But all you have in your freezer is that _nasty_ non-fat french vanilla!" I whine, crossing my arms and keeping my hands buried in the wiry skirt of my dress.

"Plug your nose and it'll taste better," He adds, watching my face scrunch up in disgust that only has him laughing more. "It's not _that_ bad, no need to be dramatic. It's not like it's the end of the world. We can just pick some up tomorrow-"

"Why tomorrow? I wanted ice cream now..." I trail off like a spoiled child, watching my grandfather's lips twitch in amusement.

"Well... Tomorrow's a special day anyways," His eyes flick over to me momentarily, twinkling in excitement as he drives off from the shopping district and towards our home. "We can pick some of your favorite flavor up to celebrate."

I cock my head slightly to the side, studying him for any hints. "'Special day'? What are we celebrating?"

He brings a finger up to his lips and winks at me. "It's a secret! You'll have to wait until tomorrow," he teases, watching me leer at him and lean back against my seat casually.

"Okay... I'll wait," I answer, looking out the window and scanning my brain for all special dates in our calendars.

Once we reach home and I jump out of the car, I'm still at a loss for whatever Grandpa Wily is planning on celebrating, and even as I mull it over a bit more upon entering the house (Grandpa Wily studying me in amusement as I try to figure it out), all I can scrape it down to is: Something to do with that business trip he went on.

 _Well, as long as I get some edible ice cream in this here joint and Grandpa Wily is happy, I guess it doesn't really matter,_ I think, opening the front door and flicking on a light to-

"PHYLLIS!" I jerk backwards with my fists flying up to defend myself, eyes wide and body as tense as a taxidermed rabbit. It isn't until I register the handful of glares from the robots and my Grandpa Light that I immediately relax against the doorway to calm down my racing heart.

"Oh my stars..." I mutter, turning away to take a few deep breaths before turning to face the now worried and sheepish expressions on my family's faces.

"Are you guys trying to scold my sister or put her into cardiac arrest?" I hear Peter ask from somewhere in the kitchen while I glance over at Rock at Cut- both of whom are whispering to each other and trying (failing) to look innocent.

"Phyllis, why did you sneak out earlie-!" Grandpa Light begins, until I cut him off with, "I thought I was late for my date."

Grandpa Light frowns. "Oh... Well, why did you go out our bedroom window then?" He asks in pure confusion, his tough and intimidating stature toning down as I speak.

"I didn't want to see Rock. He's a jerk!" I comment, watching Rock's casual expression drop into a look of offense as he turns to face me.

"Hey!" He barks, but I don't even look at him.

"I figured the best way to leave without his face ruining my day was to climb down the side of the house. Simple as that," I reply, digging my hands into my skirt more when I feel the buzzing of my orbs blinking faster.

...

"Zero, is she telling the truth?" Grandpa Light asks, causing me to glare at the back of his head before looking at Grandpa Wily and scrunching my nose in distaste at Grandpa Light's mistrust in me. I mean, yeah, of course I'm totally lying through my teeth, but still! Grandpa Wily just rolls his eyes with a grin.

Zero looks up from my ETR (oh my god, is he _still_ reading through that thing?!), glancing at Grandpa Light and then at me before settling back on Grandpa Light.

"I know nothing," He replies like the good android he is, prompting Grandpa Wily to blink in surprise and gravitate over to him in interest. Zero barely acknowledges him, returning to my ETR silently while my grandfather circles him with a gaping mouth.

"...Incredible! Who-?" Grandpa Wily asks, looking up only to see everyone pointing a finger at me. I shrug easily when his eyes jump over to me, smiling sheepishly at his incredulous stare.

"I was hoping to activate him _after_ finishing his armor, buuut... I was forced into powering him on sooner rather than later," I answer shifting my weight from either foot before I pull back a leg to slide one of my heels off. "I'm gonna go change out of this stuff- especially this dumb itchy dress."

"I'll help!" Roll chirps randomly from out of the blue, following me when I take another step towards the stairs and pull off my other heel. Seems like I picked some good shoes, as despite wearing heels, my feet have seem to have come out unscathed.

My eyes catch the red triangular dots that mark my heels, ever so apparent whenever I'm barefooted. Present since the day I had my last encounter (or so I had assumed) with the shadow creatures.

"Alright then. Meanwhile, Albert..." Grandpa Light speaks up, catching Grandpa Wily's attention and leading him towards the kitchen. "I need to talk to you about something that happened yesterday night. I've told Peter, but you flew out the door before I could..." His voice trails off as they go down the basement, leaving just the robots around the locked front door.

"Okay, we'll be over here then~!" Cut suspiciously replies with Ice, the two jumping on either side of poor confused Rock before they grab his arms and haul him backwards towards the family room for whatever they're plotting. Somehow, I have a strange feeling that Roll is also involved in this same scheme, and watch her carefully as she walks up the stairs past me. She glances back when I hesitate to follow.

"You still coming?" She asks innocently, giving me time to mentally note the way her body shifts around in excitement. I frown slightly at her despite continuing to climb the stairs, though she says nothing about my expression at all. If poker facing was an Olympic Sport and Roll was human, that robot would be swimming in medals...

 _This definitely has something to do with Rock and I. I can flipping smell it,_ I think, noting how Zero moves to follow us as soon as he sees me going upstairs. _Whatever, I don't need Rock. I have Zero! So ha!_

As soon as we reach the room, Roll locks my bedroom door behind us and Zero relocates to a chair next to my bed. Instead of running over to my dresser like she always does whenever I give her the option to pick out my clothes, Roll runs straight over to me and grabs my hands much to my alarm. I pull back a bit, only allowing her to hold my fingers as I give her a nervous smile to try and hide my discomfort.

"So? How was the date? Did you... _kiss him?"_ Roll asks, her eyes sparkling so bright that I'm worried they'll blind me more than the greenish-blue blinking of my orbs. A quick glance to the floor though, and I relax when I note the lack of blinking light against the carpet.

 _Why did they start blinking to begin with anyways?_ I wonder, only to see Roll lean in more to show her impatience for my retelling of the date. At that, I pull my head out of the clouds and scourge my brain for the night's events.

"Oh, um... We ate dinner at a fancy place. He seems to have a bit of a sense of humor, but I don't think he's the one for me. I felt like he was trying to win me over by the amount of money in his wallet..." I reply, thinking back to the expensive necklace he'd tried to buy me once we left the restaurant. It took so much begging to convince him not to- and now I'm _thankful_ I refused. "He _was_ going to kiss me too-" Roll breaks into a squeal of excitement, but I immediately crush her dreams when I add, "-but Rock and Cut sabotaged the date by knocking the guy out cold. They threw a garbage can from the rooftop of a building we were standing below."

Roll's smile turns into a frown of shock. "Rock and Cut did _what?"_ She demands, but I can't help but note how odd it looks in comparison to the other times I've surprised her in the past. Is she faking it? Is she...? Is she a part of this scheme too?! A scheme that suddenly seems to stretch back to my date with the Tissue?! Were they _all_ planning to sabotage it?!

...

"Roll, you can stop pretending to not know what I'm talking about," I bluff with a convincing smirk, watching the Phylbot flinch guiltily before plastering a visibly fake smile on her face.

"W-what? I'm not lying," she replies flatly. Wow, there goes her poker face... I guess I better revoke those gold medals I said she'd have earned in Olympic Poker Facing.

"Right. Nice to meet you, 'not lying'. I'm 'extremely suspicious'," I retort easily, watching her resolve begin to waver until she eventually exhales heavily with a pout.

"You're no fun... We're just trying to help you and Rock regain your friendship again," Roll admits, shrinking back slightly in shame. At this, I smile sympathetically and reach forward to rub the back of her head warmly.

"That's okay. I understand you're only doing this because of how Rock and I are at the moment. Don't worry, I'm sure he'll fix his attitude before we know it," I say, prompting Roll to huff and frown up at me.

" _'He'?_ Just Rock? You don't think you're acting a little out of the ordinary as well?" Roll dryly questions, giving me a look of annoyance that only makes me giggle slightly as I shrug and smile.

"Of course I'm at fault too, you think I don't know or understand when I do something wrong? I just..." My smile falls and I pull my hand back to bury it back in my skirt, even though it's not necessary anymore. "He hurt me. And I don't want to feel that pain again. I wish Grandpa Light never would have brought such a stupid issue up... But I know it's not his fault either. Gramps was just looking out for my best interest."

Roll seems surprised by my reflective thinking, taking a seat on my bed so that I sit down next to her and Zero. Zero seems to have lost interest in my ETR, as his gaze is solely focused on Roll and I now.

"...I always thought you and Rock would be great together. When you started acting all funny around him, I thought my ship would come true," she admits somberly, only to make a scowl towards her feet. "Leave it to that righteous dummy to ruin it by being the idiot he is..."

I can't stop the laugh that finds its way out of me from her insult towards her brother, prompting me to shake my head and grin back at her.

"Yeah. That righteous dummy... He's still a great friend though. I miss talking to him and playing games with you guys," I say, only to blink in surprise and bite my lip. "I miss telling jokes and teasing him like we used to do to each other. We haven't had a movie night with you, Ice, or Cut in such a long time since my mom tried to keep me locked away at home... I remember that jump scare game we used to all play on each other whenever we watched a scary movie- and how I was usually the one to jump the most since I'm..."

 _...If I talk to Rock, we could have that again. Even if it hurts me, it will only hurt for a moment and I'll feel better eventually in the long run. I just need to be honest one more time with myself and give him the chance to be honest as well._

"...Phyllis?" Roll asks when I trail off and fall silent, staring blankly at my feet before I look up at her.

"I'll talk to Rock. For real. Even if it hurts me," I state firmly, watching Roll's expression brighten as she jumps to her feet and bounces in place.

"Oh! Really?! I don't have to beg you or anything! YES! My part's complete! Now to go get Rock and-!" I grab Roll's arm before she can run off.

"Hold on! _Tomorrow._ Not tonight, I wanna sleep on it first before I decide how to go about the talk," I explain, prompting Roll to take a deep breath and calm herself with a smile.

"Okay, okay... I'll go tell them. Are you going to sleep right now?" She asks, as if she's excited beyond belief. Over _this_ though? Rock told her he didn't like me, right? What's she so excited for? My crushing rejection? ...Sadistic.

Roll wraps me in a firm hug that nearly bruises me before she races for my bedroom door, closing it after offering me a last wave and shutting the bedroom light off. Once it's just Zero and I, I turn on my lamp and stand up to look at my palms, walk towards my dresser to find something comfortable to wear.

 _They're not blinking anymore,_ I think, flexing my hands curiously as I stare at the gemmy green-blue orbs.

"Phyllis..." I look up at the sound of Zero's voice, watching his expression shift around with several levels of confusion as he brings his blue eyes up to look at me from where he sits on the side of my bed. "You said you are hurt... But I fail to see any wounds on your physical body."

I smile at Zero and move to sit down next to him again, taking his hand in mine. "Well, of course you can see it. At least not in the way you're thinking of." Zero blinks his blue eyes at me, waiting for my elaboration. "Some wounds are invisible to the naked eye. You can see them, but it's not so easy to spot it- and they can be hidden with a smile. They're the kind of wounds you get inside that aren't physical."

Zero still seems confused, so I try and come up with an example.

"Okay, let's say you're reading my tablet again and I come up to you and tell you I'm going to deactivate you and turn you into scrap metal because you're worthless-" I begin, causing Zero to immediately stand up and take a step back with my tablet. "Did you feel that?"

Zero's eyebrows are knit together in betrayal, but all he does is stare at me cautiously- like I'll pounce at him if he takes his eyes off of me.

"You're wondering why I'd do that to you, right? What could you have possibly done to make me call you worthless and want to deactivate you... That feeling right there is the kind of wound you can't see running across the skin. It hurts, I know, but on that note though, you are _not_ going to be deactivated. _Ever_. Trust me, I'm protective of my robots. As for turning you into scrap metal, we don't have the technology here in our labs- and you are most certainly _not_ worthless."

I watch as Zero relaxes and inches closer towards my bed until he sits down next to me again.

"Rock said something to me before- something that hurt in that same sense. Unfortunately, his words were true, but they way he said it wasn't well executed, and as a result it ended up hurting me more than it would have if he'd said it properly. It's nothing to be mad about though... I didn't say anything better. Once we talk, I'm certain it won't hurt so much anymore," I explain, watching Zero look down at his feet to contemplate my words.

When he makes no other query, I stand up and walk over to my dresser, pulling my dress off and changing into a blue tank top and black basketball shorts. With that, I dim my lamp light and crawl in bed, snuggling into my pillow comfortably.

"Night, Zero..." I murmur, flexing my hands one more time in an attempt to make my gems glow again.

They do not.

 _It can't be a good sign that they were blinking, right?_ I wonder, closing my eyes and pulling my pillow closer against me. Thinking about it won't do me any good if I don't have any other indications to plug into the mystery.

That's like trying to solve a Sudoku puzzle without starting numbers to begin with.

My mind grows distant and my thoughts begin to mix together into a slowly drifting mess, giving me a weightless feeling despite not moving from the bed. I melt into the air, allowing it to lift me up and leave all my worries behind.

"...Good night, Phyllis," I hear Zero's voice through the colors that gently dance behind my eyelids.

* * *

 **(6 AM in the Morning)**

I jerk awake with a strangled gasp at a jarring sensation of the Earth shaking, causing me to lose balance and roll out of bed so that I nearly bonk my head against the corner of my night table. I can hear my communicator going off like crazy somewhere, and the feeling of arms helping me up before I hit the floor or my head has me looking around with blinking eyes.

 _What? Where...? What is that...? When...?_

My brain eventually registers my room at Grandpa Wily's house and I glance up to see Zero scanning the bedroom with worry. It's early morning, the blue-red hues of dawn paining my room with just enough light to make out the open window, which I'm sure had been closed the night before.

"Zero...? What is it?" I ask with my scratchy and tired voice, but Zero refuses to release me or stop looking around when the Earth shakes again. Now I'm wide awake, inhaling sharply and peeling myself away from Zero to look out the window at the redness of the dawn sky. This red color is odd though- as if there's... a fire in the city.

"What in the-?" I begin, just as my communicator goes off on my night table once again. I snatch it up immediately and check who's calling before I answer. "I'm awake, I'm awake!"

"Phyllis! It's Rock, are you still at Wily's house?! Get out of there!" Rock's voice blares loudly through the speaker, causing me to pull it back from my ear and shoot it an exasperated glare. Since Rock's speaking so loud, I look at Zero to see if he's heard everything.

Instead of changing clothes, I simply pull on some sneakers and briskly make my way out of my room with Zero, only to feel my eyebrows knit together at the emptiness of the house. Where is Grandpa Wily? He can't be sleeping through all this, can he?

I run over to his bedroom and open the door, but before I can open my mouth to try and wake him up, I realize his bed is already empty and made. He doesn't usually leave the house without telling me- even back when I used to spend the night for fun with Peter or Pate. He would _always_ let us know if he was going out, even if it was just around the corner to get some groceries.

I shut the door and climb down the stairs two at a time, clinging to the phone and only then remembering that Rock is still on the line- shouting for my attention through the speaker like crazy.

"Ah- sorry! I'm still here! I'm sorry, I'm just looking for... Is Grandpa Wily over there?" I ask, shutting Rock up as soon as I blurt out my millions of apologies. I gasp again when Zero hugs me against him over another earthquake, keeping me stable and on my feet. "God damn it, what is it with those-?"

"Phyllis, you need to get over here to Doctor Light's immediately. Forget everything and just get over here _now._ If you see Doctor Wily or a robot master, RUN. Do you understand?" Rock snaps, causing my eyebrows to furrow in confusion.

"R-run? What are you talking abo-?" I flinch again at another quake, one hard enough to send my communicator flying out of my hand and against the floor with a clatter that visibly cracks the screen much to my chagrin. "...Oh, _come on!"_

I move from Zero to pick it up and attempt turning it on, but once I note that it's definitely broken, I toss it back to the ground and grab my keys beside the front door. No time to waste, I guess...? I still don't understand what's going on. Is Mega City under attack or something? Is that the cause of the fires and quakes? Or is it more of a natural disaster?

"Well, I guess it's time to go. Come on, Zero, let's hurry. I don't really get what's going on, but if Rock says we gotta get out of here, it's probably in our best interest," I say quickly, pulling my hair back in a ponytail to keep it out of my face.

I open the door and allow Zero to hurry out after me, locking the front door behind myself as I take to a comfortable jog that Zero effortlessly keeps up with. It isn't until we reach the shopping district that I note the lack of people on the streets, which unnerves me immensely. Sure it's early, but lots of people like walking around before business hours since it's such a nice area to jog around for exercise. The mere fact that no one is walking around has my nerves squirming in discomfort.

"Phyllis," Zero speaks up, halting in his steps so quickly that I nearly stumble in trying to do the same, catching a lamp post before I can fall over like a klutz.

"What? What is it?" I ask puzzled, looking at him only to see his trained gaze focused on something standing against a store front on the sidewalk across the street. Rubbing my eyes, I struggle to focus on the figure until the blurriness in my eyes completely dissolves. "...Cut man? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be at Light Labs with..."

I trail off when Cut's hand slowly reaches up towards the removable scissors atop his orange head, plucking them off easily and flipping them around in his hand with interest as his eyes silently flick over towards Zero and I.

This behavior is unusual for my robot, one who usually ran up to greet me with a mischievous grin and a jabbing comment. The fact that he isn't even answering me after such a pause makes my stomach swirl. Not to mention that he's fiddling a little too much with those scissor blades of his, blades that function as a boomerang sharp enough to cut through tree stumps and even _metal_ as if it were paper.

"So, Doc-ette..." Cut stops flicking his scissor blades around, holding them stationary in his hand as he pushes off of the building wall. "Going off somewhere?"

I blink in confusion, eyes flicking around for some kind of answer for his odd behavior. When he patiently waits in place, I cough into my hand and try to relax myself. Everything is okay, right? It's just Cut and... Cut's probably just playing a joke to scare me. That sounds about right!

I laugh awkwardly, staring back at him uneasily. "Um... I got a call from Rock to head over to Grandpa Light's house. You can stop whatever intimidation prank you're trying to pull, I'm not scared."

Cut smiles and brings his blades up to his mouth, nibbling the edge of the blade as his eyes glint with malicious amusement. "Are you sure? Not even a _little_ bit?"

Zero shifts closer towards me while I swallow a thick block of ice in my throat, unable to answer since even _I_ know how stupid it is to try and lie when I really am sort of unnerved by Cut's behavior. Cut seems to catch Zero's small movement, and before I can even blink, Cut's hand snaps out with his boomerang blades.

One moment, I'm watching the blades make their way towards Zero- the next he's rolling out of the way with me tucked in his larger form, forcing my body to fold to his movements until he's running off down an alley with me half tucked under his arms like a football.

Cut doesn't seem to chase us, and just as we are about to race out of the shopping district, someone drops down in our path from out of nowhere. A chilly air hits my skin and I slide out from Zero's arm onto my feet, backing away beside Zero in an attempt to get away from the freezing air. My arms cover my face and neck, and once the chill subsides, I look up only to feel my stomach sink further.

Ice man stands in our way with a huff that expels a visible puff frigid hoar frost from his lips, glaring sharply at Zero.

"It's okay, blondie. We're just here to see our creator, so you'd best make your way out of here. We wouldn't want anything to happen to our new little brother, right?" Ice inquires brightly with mocking kindness, grinning at Zero just as the sound of someone landing behind us has me looking back to see Cut standing at the other end of the alley.

We're trapped.

"...Um, is anyone going to tell us what the heck is going on here?!" I finally blurt out, throwing my hands up and then quickly noticing the way they are blinking slowly- just like they'd been doing the night before during my date.

My two elder robots immediately zero in on the orbs, frowning in confusion at the sight of them when I bring them down to my line of sight in surprise. Why are they blinking again?

The Earth shakes, and I'm thrown slightly off balance into Zero, who's easily rooted to his spot and steadies me effortlessly.

Above us the sky is a mix of blue and red, but I can see the red beginning to take over more of the sky than it had previously. My stomach growls with the need for food, but I settle for giving it a small rub to calm it down as I look from Ice to Cut and back. Neither are making a move to attack, but nor are they making a move to join Zero and I.

 _This is super weird. Why did Rock demand that I avoid Grandpa Wily and the robot masters? Did he mean himself and Roll as well? Are their processors malfunctioning? Is there some kind of glitch going on with them? If so, why are Cut and Ice so fluid in their motions and actions? Sure, they're not acting like their usual selves, but they aren't visibly moving like there's an issue or twitching like some of the other robot masters had during their first trial runs._

I jump when the sound of pulsating sound waves emit from above, only to glance towards the sky when a shadow falls over Zero and I. My jaw immediately drops when I see a flying saucer hover past us and towards the other end of the alley, landing outside of the shopping district behind Ice's spot and opening to reveal Grandpa Wily jumping out of the top pod casually and giving me a grin when he turns to look at me.

"Phyllis!" He greets me brightly, walking past Ice easily and over towards me. When Ice makes no move to snap or heckle Grandpa Wily, my eyebrow raises in confusion. So what, only _I'm_ getting the cold shoulder? Are they mad at me or something? What did I do?

 _What the heck is going on?_ I wonder, looking around Grandpa Wily at his... Flying saucer... Before he pulls me into a warm hug. _At least_ that's _still normal._

He pulls back after a moment, giving me that good-natured smile he always wore when he had good news to tell me. I relax at the look, wondering if he's going to make things better- or at least make _sense_ now that he's here. Zero seems to still be tense, but Grandpa Wily pays no attention to him.

"Well... What do you think?" He asks, gesturing back towards his flying saucer and grinning brightly as if... Nothing's wrong about this whole situation.

 _Sheesh, and here I thought the only thing I'd be dealing with this morning was a soul crushing talk about my feelings with Rock._

"What?!" I blurt out, before noting the surprise on his face and shaking my head quickly at the poor choice in words. "I mean, well, yeah your flying saucer is _totally_ awesome, but I just woke up to earthquakes, a frantic call from Rock that makes no sense and I _still_ don't get, and some _serious_ attitude from two of my four robots!"

I spin around in confusion until I spot the blinking orbs in my palms. If Grandpa Wily notices, he says nothing about them, which I can't help but mentally question about as well. They're in no way inconspicuous, easy to notice like neon signs in the night. So why isn't he questioning them?

"Gramps, I am _so_ lost right now. What am I supposed to be doing?" I ask honestly as he smiles and walks the rest of the way over to me with a laugh of delight.

"Well for one, you're supposed to be talking to me. I have something to tell you..." He says, taking my hands while Zero eyes Cut, Ice, and my grandfather as if any one of them will change their minds and attack us.

"Okay... What is it?" I inquire, trying to shove my confusion about my blinking palms aside if only for just a moment while I talk with my gramps. Everything is still extremely confusing... But whatever Grandpa Wily has to say probably has something to do with the weirdness going on, right?

"Phyllis, after I lost my credentials, I was at a loss of what to do... I thought I was doing the right thing- all I really wanted to do was earn more money to take care of our family. I never meant to lose the freedom to engineer robots and technology," Grandpa Wily says, releasing my hands and walking around as he explains whatever he's trying to tell me.

"I understand. I don't blame you," I agree despite my unease, forcing my body to refrain from twitching or jumping with the jitteriness of my nerves. At my words, Grandpa Wily spins around to give me a big smile, pointing at me in barely restrained excitement.

"That's what I love about you, Phyllis! You're _forgiving._ You're willing to give others a chance even when they fail at the first shot. You still look at me like I'm the most important person in the world... And I love you _so_ much for that."

I blink and offer him an awkward smile in return, glancing over at Zero hesitantly for his thoughts on Grandpa Wily's behavior. I don't think I've ever seen Grandpa Wily so upbeat... Alas, Zero wears no expression pertaining to his current emotions or thoughts regarding Grandpa Wily. I guess I shouldn't be so surprised though, they weren't exactly formally introduced to each other.

"That's when I realized what I had to do. That's when everything became clear." Grandpa Wily closes the distance between us and places his hands on my shoulders, causing a sensation of entrapment to instill within me despite it being from my grandfather. "I want to give you the world, Phyllis. I want the best of _everything_ for you..."

I stare in surprise as Grandpa Wily beams down at me, causing my cheeks to dust red in embarrassment as he continues to sing his praise and devotion to me, which is abnormal- at least in this amount -during such a short period of time.

"So I'm going to take this world and make it ours together," he finishes, pulling his hands back and nodding at me in satisfaction before leaning forward to press a kiss against my forehead.

Something about it immediately unsettles me.

 _Why does it feel... Like he's saying goodbye to me...?_

"Phyllis... We won't be apart for long. Everything I do, I do for you, my precious granddaughter... Without you, I have no purpose and I promise we will build robots together in the future- just like you told me you wanted," Grandpa Wily says, pulling me into one last hug before he moves back and turns away to walk on over to his flying saucer again. He doesn't look back as he jumps in and pulls the domed glass top closed behind him.

 _...Why is he talking like that? Is he going somewhere else? Is_ that _why he's saying goodbye? Argh! I don't understand, why is everyone except Zero acting so weird?! I don't get it! What's going on?!_

Next thing I know, Zero and I are watching Grandpa Wily's flying saucer fly off into the distance, Zero silently looking back and forth from Ice and Cut carefully like he's still expecting an attack. Surprisingly, neither of my elder robots seem to let up on whatever they're playing at- Ice giggling from his end of the alley. Hearing him, I face my small ice breathing robot, watching his expression shift to a bright grin.

"I guess our job's done here! Bye-bye, Phyllis! See ya, wouldn't wanna be ya!" Ice chirps, turning and running away from his location so quickly that I can barely get a word in when I start to reply with, "H-hey, wait-!"

He ignores me, and once he's out of sight, I spin around to look at Cut with Zero. Cut's still there, much to my relief, but he doesn't look like he's here to stay.

Cut places his scissors back atop his head with a dark smirk aimed towards us. "What he said," is all my usually witty robot replies as he turns away to stalk back out of the alley from where we came.

"What? CUT! Where are you _going?!_ Why are you being so-?" It's no use trying to follow, since Zero catches my arm and stops me from pursuing. As Cut dissolves behind a few buildings and the hazy smoke that's beginning to spread throughout the city, I stop talking again and groan loudly.

With that, it's just Zero and I left in the alley, and we share a look of confusion until I remember Rock's advice over the phone. I lick my chapped lips and look around one more time. "We should get going to Grandpa Light's place... Rock should have some answers for us," I decide, earning a firm nod from Zero before we turn to start jogging out of the alley, and the Earth gives a violent shake. This time, even Zero nearly loses balance.

"I wish they would have at least told us what was happening!" I grumble as I straighten up and feel a cool chill travel up my spine. Zero stiffens up as soon as our eyes take in the foggy nighttime esque environment, the world becoming a familiarly eerie washed out violet and blue as we spin around and inch closer towards each other. "No..."

"Don't panic. We need to move," Zero speaks up before I can lock up with fear, taking my wrist and urging me on when he starts jogging in the initial direction we were originally heading for. This is the same way the world looks whenever those shadowed creatures appear. Of course my luck would be terrible enough to warrant meeting up with a shadow when I'm _already_ flustered and confused...

Meanwhile, the blinking of my hand orbs are in no way slowing down, only increasing in speed as Zero forces me to jog after him, practically dragging me along. A shiver wracks my body when I glance around for any sign of the creatures, but the silence permeates and there's no one around except for Zero and myself.

 _Please tell me I'm dreaming- everything will make complete sense if I'm dreaming. Rock telling me to avoid Grandpa Wily and the robot masters, Cut and Ice's behavior... This has to be a dream, this_ has _to be one big nightmare!_

I cling to Zero like he's my last lifeline, the only comforting variable in this nightmare- until I feel a pulse of unnatural energy and stop running when Zero's body pitches forward lifelessly without any legitimate reason. I jump in surprise, but rather being spooked and running away like I initially want to, the sight of a malfunction possibly present in Zero makes me gasp and drop down to turn him over in panic.

"Zero?! Zero!" I shout, watching him shake and struggle to get up as he blinks his glassy eyes in confusion. My eyes drag over his body until I notice the smoke gently wafting from his internal chest area, prompting me to try and crack him open with my fingernails as a makeshift flathead screwdriver. Unfortunately, that only makes my nails split and bleed when the metal resists against my nails leverage.

I curse in frustration when I'm unable to open him up, pulling him into a sitting position against a wall and allowing him a moment to see if he can open himself up like I knew he could. Unfortunately, Zero can barely lift his limbs, raising one arm a foot off the ground only to fall back down immediately with a heavy thud.

"Come on, you can do it!" I encourage him, but when he struggles to try again, his arm falls after rising half of what it was before. I exhale with worry, taking his hand in mine and lifting it for him so it lines with a screw. "Alright, I'll hold your arm up. Can you do the rest?"

Zero barely manages a nod, but as soon as the tip of his finger opens to slide a flathead out, the mechanisms of his hand seem to malfunction, causing the flathead screwdriver end to get stuck inside- making it impossible to even attempt pulling it out. I grimace and lower his down as I see this, looking around for some other way to help open him up.

"...Go..." He manages to mumble, but instead of heeding his orders, I take it as a suggestion and promptly ignore it. When I start pulling at my shoes and rip a metal button off the side of it, he shivers again. "...Go..." he repeats weakly.

At his words, I roll my eyes and scoff, pushing the button against the screws and smiling in relief when I see them begin to turn under the force of my button. "Haven't you heard how stubborn I am? I'm _not_ leaving you here. I don't care what it takes, I'm going to do this and then we'll go to Grandpa Light's house together, I swear."

A chill runs up my spine as I open Zero's chest up, cursing when I see the sparks of his internal "stomach" leaking, causing my expression to twist in panic. All his energy fuel from past 'E' tanks are leaking from him, getting all over the rest of his mechanisms by a stressed hole at the bottom that I spot immediately, making me turn Zero to lay him down entirely to keep the rest of his fluids from flowing out. I have to stop the leak and patch that hole up, but I don't have any tools here...

...It'll have to be something temporary until we reach Grandpa Light's house- whether in normal time, or in this freaky realm (or whatever this dark version of our city is).

I reach back to untie my pink ribbon from my wrist, tying it around my ponytail and standing to look around for something to use. Upon my frantic search, I eventually catch sight of a bunch of sticker tags on the side of a metal garage to an unfamiliar building, prompting me to run over and carefully peel the biggest ones off. I struggle to keep as much of the bonding particles on the sticker as possible, but once I have five, I run back over to Zero and slap them use my shorts to clean around no longer leaking hole (due to his position), slapping a sticker over the hole as soon as it's dry. I stamp four more over and around it, until I take Zero's hand and move him to sit up and see if he can sit up without leaking anymore.

I sigh in relief when the fluid doesn't run out of him, taking his hand and pulling to urge him onto his feet. "You can do it, don't worry! We'll make it!"

Zero trembles more as his systems continue to run against the internal spillage, not bothering to close his system as he stands on shaking legs and confidently clings to my hand. I give him an encouraging grin and pull him along with me.

"Nearly there, Zero. We can keep going..." I insist, pulling Zero along as I look around to make sure there's nothing threatening following us or in the immediate vicinity. As we progress with slow steps due to Zero's state, all I can think about are two things- whether this _whatever_ place will fade away after some time... Or whether we're going to run into a shadow creature eventually. Neither thought makes me feel any better after everything that's been going on since the morning, and the dreadful silence that emphasizes the sound of only our footsteps makes me want to hide.

We sound loud. We sound _easy_ _to_ _find_.

 _It's alright, I just need to help Zero above all else. I don't want anything else to happen to him- I need to fix him up again!_

My body begins to sway when the environment blinks back to the normal blue-red dawn with another earthquake, making me half smile in slight relief as we struggle to keep our balance on our way to Grandpa Light's home. My stomach growls as we turn into some familiar streets, passing the over head bridges on careful and quickening feet as our walking soon speeds up into a steady jog- in desperate hopes of getting to Grandpa Light before anything happened again.

Thankfully, those stickers on Zero are holding out enough to keep the fluids inside of him, but the dark brown color of the oil is beginning to stain the paper of the sticker. It's only a matter of time until Zero is leaking fuel again...

Just as we're jogging down Grandpa Light's street, I glance down at my free hand to see my gemmy orbs blinking rapidly, buzzing with an energy that I don't truly understand as the Earth shakes yet again, momentarily plunging us in that foggy night version of Mega City before it reverts back to normal just as the quake subsides. My heart jerks violently, but I don't stop jogging beside Zero for _any_ reason. Our hands refuse to let go of one another.

Who even knows if things will be better once we get to Grandpa Light's house? It might still happen anyways, but at least I'll have my family with me if it does... Maybe we'll figure something out!

I'm out of breath by the time I reach Grandpa Light's home with poor shaking Zero, throwing myself against the door with a loud thud and a shout of relief... Closing my eyes as I knock on the door with my pounding fist. I step back to catch my breath and immediately regret blinking when fog and darkness coat my world once more.

I yelp when Zero's body gives a violent shake and keels over onto his knees, using his hands to catch himself from completely hitting the floor as his fuel begins to leak again. Right when I turn to bend down to help, my body locks up as something touches my shoulder from behind, my eyes wide as I stare at my kneeling android and wait for whatever is evidently going to happen. Zero can barely lift his head, but when he manages, his expression flashes with fear. I don't have to see his face to know something is behind me- that hand on my shoulder is enough evidence.

The hairs on my back prickle up with the tension of my muscles as my breathing begins to quicken. I'm hyperventilating at this point, and it doesn't seem like anyone is in a hurry to open the door to Grandpa Light's house. Can't they hear us out here?!

 _This is it, isn't it?_ I can't help but wonder as the hand tightens on my shoulder, giving the prominent sensation of long, unnatural claws digging into my collarbone as I try and calm myself to no avail.

I almost cry with relief when a quake has me stumbling out of the clawed grip, but as I bolt down to grab Zero when he throws a hand out to try and grab hold of mine, a large tar-like hand clamps against my entire face, digging it's claws around my jaws from atop my head and yanking me back with a painful jerk that makes me scream under the hand. My finger tips brush Zero's, barely making contact.

Breathing so quickly and suddenly no longer being able to breathe at all makes me struggle and claw at whatever is grabbing my face, dropping my weight to make an effort to get air back into my lungs. This does nothing at all, and before I know it, everything goes back to that violet and blue foggy darkness.

 _No, wait...! Not yet! I haven't fixed things yet...! I have to apologize to Rock! I have to help Zero! I have to find what's... What's going... on..._

My body grows heavier, the tar against my face clogging up my nostrils and mouth.

 _I just want to..._

The sensation of something being driven violently between my shoulder blades and out through my chest makes my body shake rigidly, my vision becoming dark as I watch Zero's outstretched hand drop and his body eventually fall against the ground as he finally leaks enough that he can no longer keep himself powered on. Something else other than the brown fuel covers the ground... It's a small series of dots the color of maroon blending with the brown fuel that flows out of Zero's "stomach".

My vision is black.

 _...Sor...Ry..._

* * *

 **End of Part 1**

 **A/N: It's time.**


	11. P 2 - Ch 11: Awakening

**Part 2 - Ch. 11: Awakening**

 **(Time: ?)**

 ***Phyllis' P.O.V.***

"...? Phyllis, what are you doing?"

I squeak and inhale sharply with a start, flinching and looking up in surprise until I immediately relax when I see it's just Rock looking over my shoulder at what I'm doing on my bedroom desk. While deflating in relief from the unexpected jump scare, I shoot Rock a light glare.

"How come you're still doing that? I thought I already told you not to sneak up on me like that!" I complain, prompting the blue eyed robot to smile sheepishly with a shrug.

"Sorry, I forgot you tend to get jumpy when you're in your zone..." He peeks back over my shoulder, smiling slightly when he spots the scribbles and digital sketches on my tablet. "Soo... Who's that?"

I frown and put my arms over my tablet, scrunching my nose in distaste. "None ya' business, that's who. Did Gramps bring you and Roll here for a reason, or what?" I inquire, but Rock ignores my deflecting query in stride.

"Are you making Roll and I a new brother?" Rock presses as I carefully watch him to make sure he doesn't try peeking around my arms. During this, I notice the way he sneakily hides his left arm behind himself. I eye his arm conspicuously, but rather than explain, Rock just grins cheekily and brushes off my look to wiggle his eyebrows.

Of course, I'm left with no other option than to admit to his suspicious, releasing a sigh and rolling my eyes dramatically. "Fine! YES. I'm making you and Roll a new brother... Grandpa Light and Grandpa Wily commissioned me to make two of the Robot Masters line up."

Rock's eyes nearly bug out in disbelief. "Wait, _really?!_ Phyllis, that's great!" The brunette Lightbot cheers, throwing his arms up in excitement and evidently giving me sight of a carefully wrapped green and white box with an orange ribbon around it.

I blink obviously at it, watching Rock's smile become stiff with realization at what he's just done. As he stands there unmoving, stock still and anxious by his revealed item, I spin around on my chair and stand up. A quick lean over my desk towards a calendar pinned to my wall one month behind, I rip off the month of March off to reveal the month of April. My eyes immediately land on a date on the current month- April third to be exact- which is circled with red marker. Next, my eyes flick back down to my tablet and the date at the very top left corner, which blinks back _April the freaking third._

Shocked by this revelation, I turn back to look at Rock, who _"rocks"_ (aww, yeah!) back and forth nervously on his feet. "S-surprise...?" He stammers awkwardly with a shrug.

...

"Is it _really_ my birthday already?" I ponder out loud, touching my forehead in confusion. "Man, I totally forgot!"

Rock nearly staggers in disbelief, eyeing the moon outside my bedroom window before giving me a silly face palm that I can't help but laugh at. The day is almost over and it had gone by without me even realizing it... Whoops!

"So if we hadn't come over, you'd be completely unaware? You'd have just gone about your business and gone to bed later? Without _any_ celebration?" Rock asks incredulously, making me bite my lip and look around my room before answering with, "Well, _yeah!_ Pretty much!"

Rock shakes his head with an eye roll, holding his gift out to me with a somewhat nervous smile. "Here, this is yours. Happy fifteenth birthday, Phyllis. I made something for you."

My heart clenches in delight as I take the gift from his outstretched hand, smiling at the way he avoids my gaze in the process. I wonder what he's so shy about, but chalk it up to being nervous about my thoughts on whatever the gift he's made for me is. Due to his anxious disposition though, I eye the box and feel anxiety spread onto me as well.

"Can I open it right now?" I ask, fingering the nicely wrapped orange ribbon. It's silky smooth under my fingertips...

"Of course," Rock replies with a chuckle of amusement, prompting me to immediately pull the ribbon off and open the paper to reveal the white box within. I can see Rock shuffling his feet as I move to open the box and-

* * *

I inhale sharply from where I lay, gasping violently for what feels like not enough oxygen as I open my eyes wide in panic. Something is pressed against my mouth and nose, and due to the familiarity of it, I instantly go into a frenzy to pull it off.

I bring my arms up and flail at my face with heavy and mildly numbed limbs, managing to rip the mask off only to feel the stinging sensation of something pinching me in my right arm. The wild noises I make must alert someone, and soon enough, my arms are being pinned down and the mask over my face is being adjusted back in place.

My eyes are open, but I can't see a single thing due to a bright white light that blinds me from above, so I start to go into panic again. I screech under the mask, wildly wriggling my body in an attempt to get whatever is pinning me down off. Even as I manage to free a limb or leg, they are promptly pinned down only moments after freedom, barring me from getting up.

I'm terrified, and my chest is rising and falling faster and faster by the minute.

Next thing I know, I feel a pinch behind my neck and whimper.

I don't understand what's going on other than the fact that I'm not allowed to leave wherever I'm currently at. The pinning of my body down against the slab beneath me and the drowsy sensation of my body falling immediately takes its toll on me when my eyelids begin to feel heavy. I'm pretty sure I faint sooner than the actual drowsy sensation takes hold of me...

* * *

\- "Phyllis?"

I blink in surprise, hand resting atop the white box lid frozen in place. As soon as I take in my bedroom and Rock's worried gaze, I shake my confusion away and put a relaxed smile back on my face. I was thinking of something, but now it's gone... I really need to stop getting my head stuck in the clouds.

"Nothing, just thinking about something else," I proceed to open the box, my mouth popping open into an 'oh' of shock when I see what's inside. "Rock, you _made_ this?"

I pull out what's inside the box, which is a small key chain with a moss green metallic seashell shaped charm the size of a golf ball. At my awestruck expression, Rock grins in excitement and reaches forward with regained confidence to take it in his hands.

"It opens up too- so you can store small items and stuff like chips, fuses, and screws," Rock explains, opening the star up so it reveals the silver interior of the hollow green star.

"It's really cute! I love it!" I chirp as he hands it back to me.

He murmurs something under his breath when our fingers brush. Upon giving him a questioning look, the Lightbot flushes red and shakes his head. Hmm... Guess he's just talking to himself.

"Now... We should _definitely_ go downstairs and stuff. To the kitchen. Because you're thirsty. You know?" Rock begins, prompting me to cock my head to the side until he gives me a wink. All at once, I understand when he looks at my calendar again.

"Oh! Yeah! I sure am _thirsty_!" I giggle, taking Rock's outstretched hand and catching that familiar glint in his blue eyes as he begins to pull me back out of my room.

My fingers never let go of the green keychain, hearing the metal jingle against the charm as I'm removed from my bedroom. I can already guess what will happen as I turn towards the kitchen corner. The kitchen is dark, but with one quick grin in my direction, Rock shifts to flick on the light...

* * *

I grunt loudly under my plastic mask, eyes snapping open to that blinding light above me once again. What is it? What's happening? Where are Rock and the rest of my family?

I don't move this time. Surely as long as I don't struggle, they won't put me back to sleep, right?

I blink my eyes rapidly under the light, turning my head slightly to look around at the white figures along white backgrounds. Everything looks white- everything _blends in._

I whimper under the mask as I shrink back into the soft material of a bed with my sore body, which rightfully aches all over. I can barely flex the muscles in my arm without a stab of pain travelling up to my spine, and it's _awful._ Patience... Patience and the brightness should be bearable enough to last and see through.

I blink some more to help with the process, squinting every time I try to see past the glaring light. What it is, I have no idea, but eventually I grow tired of it. I make another grunt of disapproval and shove a hand forward to swat at it, pain hitting my arms two-fold when my wrist makes contact with a lamp neck and knocks it's head aside off from above me. As soon as the light is out of my eyes, I gasp softly in surprise under my mask and promptly start to blink again. It's just a lamp? Alright, that's somewhat settling...

Ever so slowly, I start to make out the squares of ceiling tiles above me- lined into squares by thin blue tubes that look to have small white lights travelling through them like Christmas lights. A few more blinks and I see the colors flush in vibrantly into my retinas- the cones in my eyes processing the world just a little more until I compel myself to bravely lift my head to see if anybody is around.

In an instant, I register this to be a hospital, which only puts me in even more confusion. What am I doing in a _hospital_?

 _Was I in an accident? ... Is it safe to move already?_

I sit up slowly with much effort, rolling onto my side with a hand over my mouth as I repress the urge to cry out in pain. Once I'm able to scan the room, my eyebrows furrow in further confusion.

There's no one in this room but me.

 _Surely they all heard that I'm in a hospital, right? This is... They're probably still on their way is all. Yeah! That's probably it... Why didn't the staff let me stand up before? Should I get back in bed until someone comes in? Or don't they have a remote to call in a nurse near my bed? They usually do..._

I fumble around the sides of my bed until I see the buttons on the rails of my bed, prompting me to press a green button that reads "call nurse" above it. As I pull my finger back, I hold it against my chest. The pressure of even pushing a lousy button hurts! What _happened_ to me?

 _Well, I_ was _sort of panicking when I was trying to sit up before... I'm guessing they want their patients to at least be_ lucid _before they start stumbling around the hospital hallways._

I struggle to slide out of the hospital bed and stand, letting out a small groan as soon as I pull the sheet of the hospital bed back to reveal the ugly blue and white polka-dot hospital gown I have on. Dear god, this dress is _fugly!_ Cut will never let me live this down if he sees me wearing it... And don't even get me started on _Peter._ He'd take pictures and plaster it all over the internet!

 _Where are my clothes?_

I glance around wildly until I see a plastic bag on a chair in the corner of the room, prompting me to speed walk towards it despite the pain in my body. I nearly fall upon approaching it, but throw my arms out in time to catch myself on the armrests of the chair.

"Ugh..." I groan as I pull myself back up, looking around at the empty room to see if anyone's come in and seen my embarrassing fall. Still, there is nobody in there except me, but that fact doesn't dull my embarrassment any less. I feel like I'm being watched.

After catching my breath, I finger the fabric of the clothes and get down on my knees so I don't have to hold myself up anymore, unfolding the clothes only to find that they're not pieces of clothing I recognize. Speaking of clothing... What was I even wearing before all of this? And again, what the hell _happened_?

A gasp from the entrance of the room has me jumping back in alarm, but instead of quickly recovering onto my feet, my weak state makes me fall back with a pained yelp as my head hits the tile flooring ungracefully. If nobody saw my previous embarrassing fall, someone _definitely_ saw it this time...

"Oh, are you okay? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you!" A guyish voice speaks up as he closes the distance between the two of us. strong arms link under my armpits and help me sit back up, rubbing the back of my head as I turn to face him.

The nurse is a guy with short blonde hair and a septum nose piercing, who openly gawks at me as soon as I turn to face him, pushing the curls of my hair out of my face to see me better. He makes no comment as he stares, his brown eyebrows nearly fusing with the brown roots of his natural hairline until he seems to snap out of his trance and picks up his fallen jaw with a stiff smile that looks like he's trying to tame so it doesn't curl across his face. He looks... Excited. And it's a tad bit creepy, if I'm being honest with myself.

I blink my magenta irises at his gold eyes- which match the top of his short hair as he pulls his clipboard closer to himself and grins at me despite the disturbed expression slowly growing on my face.

"You really _do_ look like her..." He seems to reminisce, prompting me to give him a raised eyebrow of confusion as my anxiety subsides to his statement. Like who?

"Who's 'her'?" I ask, only to suddenly straighten and touch my throat in surprise. My voice is back... But was it gone before?

The handsome nurse shakes his head with a slight smile, walking closer and taking my hand in his much to my surprise. Before I can say anything about it, he starts to pull me back over to the hospital bed, helping me stand up with his support. Before I can say anything about it, he starts to pull me back over to the hospital bed. "Oh, babe, that's not what you need to be worried about," he says, helping me back into bed until he notices something and exhales a puff of air with an eye roll.

I watch in confusion as he reaches down by my side and pulls up a thin tube leaking a clear fluid, taking hold of my left arm firmly to stick it back to a needle and bandage I hadn't noticed stuck in my arm before. As soon as it is reattached, a sensation of discomfort floods over me. I don't like that _thing_ being in my arm...

"Alright, now that you're all re-accommodated-" he begins, until I cut him off to begin my own little interrogation.

"Who's clothes are those?" I ask straight away, pointing with my good hand towards the chair opposite of my bed. "They're not mine, so who's are they?"

He turns to glance momentarily at the chair before looking back at me with a shrug. "Well, they're yours now, sweet cheeks. They found you bare ass naked when you came in, so I figured I'd use my break to get you something a little more comfy." The nurse pauses to snicker at me a little. "You were pretty much brain dead when they brought you to the ER, but here you are! No more partying that hard, babe. I don't know what you took but we were all real scared for you when you started foaming at the mouth and spasming yesterday afternoon. Don't worry though, that's what this is for-" he stops again to pull out a pen from his scrub's front pocket and tap the bag of clear fluid hanging beside my bed on a metal hanger. "-basically your wonderful drug detox! We found traces of _things_ that had absolutely no business being in your bloodstream. Should be finished flushing them out in the span of tonight and tomorrow..."

I shake my head, frowning in offense at the news. "I didn't take anything. I don't like parties either," I sass, narrowing my eyes on him as I push my messy curls behind my left ear to see him better. I can see the way he stiffens when my face comes into view again, but I do my best to ignore it and cross my arms to show that I'm not taking any of his bullshit.

"...Regardless, Princess, we still found things in your bloodstream yesterday. Anyways, now for the big question, my darling-" He starts again, but I quickly snap, "Don't give me stupid pet names."

He raises his hands and steps back a little, as if I might bite him or slash my nonexistent claws in his direction if he doesn't. The expression on his face is no longer admiring, but rather stunned due to my rude demeanor... Good.

"Alright, alright. You were found naked _,_ honnn..." I shoot him a vicious look, "- _Miss._ No clothing, no items, no identification card. We have no idea who you are or who we need to call to come get you. You've been in here for three days under our care as of tonight, so will you shed some light on who you are, please?" By now, he's gotten his professional hat on and is no longer gawking at me like I'm some kind of angel, looking down at his clipboard to check on some information.

"Oh, um... Right," I say, relaxing and taking a deep breath to think, which is embarrassing considering the question is just regarding my damn _name_. "I'm, uh... My name's..."

The nurse looks up, mildly flabbergasted at the way I trail off as I look around for something to jog my memory. Fat chance the pictures of happy patients (what bullshit) will help me remember who the hell I am...

"Oh, boy..." The nurse exhales with a grimace, scribbling on the clipboard quickly with that pen he pulls out of his pocket- which I only then notice is a black gel glitter pen. "Well, what _do_ you remember?"

I bite my lip and pause to think before I answer him.

"...Lights. Bright, blinding lights. The kinds that give you headaches when you look directly into them," I thoughtfully answer until I remember the other bright things in my life- at least the ones whose names I can recall so far. "Rock, Peter, and Cut are my family- about a half of it... There are other names I can't remember yet, but I was just thinking about those three moments before you came in."

The nurse looks slightly pale as he stares at me, no longer scribbling on his clipboard. "Ma'am... Would your name happen to being with an... _'F'_?" The nurse asks, prompting me to scoff in irritation.

"Oh, please... It starts with _'Ph'_ for 'Phyl-'" I pause as I hear what I'm blurting out. "...Phyllis. My name is _Phyllis Wily-Light_!"

I grin and look towards the nurse in excitement, on the brink of jumping onto my feet in joy. No _wonder_ he was excited to talk to me then! Maybe he had an inkling that I was the granddaughter of Doctor Wily and Doctor Light?

As my eyes land on him though, I find the nurse wearing a look of discomfort on his face. "What? What is it?" I ask, watching as he looks back at the doorway of the room and back at me in mild shock.

"E-excuse me for a moment..." He barely manages to say before he is speed walking out of the room, clipboard at hand as he scribbles even more on it with jerky movements.

I blink in confusion as I watch him leave, my eyes trailing after him until I am once again alone in my room. Do I really have to sit here by myself again? He didn't say I _had_ to stay in bed...

I proceed to start getting out of bed again, until the nurse is speeding back in the room and marching right up to my bed with a look of disapproval when he notices my shift in position. "Nope, back in bed with you. No walking until tomorrow, got it? You're just going to end up hurting yourself if you try right now," he scolds me, pushing me back into my original position and watching my eyes flicker down to the clipboard he's rested on my lap to move me.

I immediately frown when I notice the date, which reads December thirteenth, _212X._ My eyes widen and I let out a small snort of amusement. "Uh, you're about a hundred years off... Don't ya think?" I joke, pointing at the mistake on his clipboard and watching his eyes flash with unease as he snatches it off of my lap and turns to leave again, giving me only a glimpse of the card hanging around his neck, which bears the name _Lyle Brosnan_ next to the crest recognizing him as a registered RN.

 _So this goof's name is Lyle,_ I make sure to remember, looking around at the empty room until I see a screen embedded in the wall behind me which displays the name as _'Unknown'_ and my age as nineteen. Alright, that's weird... Did my birthday recently pass or something? I don't think it did... I could have sworn I turned _eighteen_ a couple months ago.

I frown carefully and ease myself on my knees to face the wall behind my bed, raising my hands to touch the tabs at the top of the screen which each displays a couple of virtual files on my health and complex information of what was apparently found in my bloodstream... The tube of clear fluids makes it a little hard to reach up to the screen and I already hate the idea of having it stuck in my arm, but I don't take it out only because I know it's for my own good.

While I'm tapping on options and overlooking the information on my file (which is near empty on many other things due to not having my actual medical files), I halt my curious fingers when my eyes notice the date blinking at the top right corner.

 _December 13th, 212X._

I frown and shake my head in confusion, only to hear the telltale sound of quick footsteps approaching my room from outside in the hospital hallway. Rather than contemplate the two dates on Lyle's clipboard and the hospital computers, I quickly get back to the main screen and spin around to get back in an innocent position as Lyle re-enters the room with his clipboard and a look of frustration written across his face.

"Alright. So... We have a bit of an issue going on with finding your, erm... Medical Files. No worries though, this won't stop the health care we are giving you and you won't have to pay a cent if it turns out you don't have a viable health insurance plan. Just sit tight and let us handle everything. For now, I'll go get you something to eat. You're probably really... _Really_ hungry," Lyle says, turning to leave until I reach out to grab hold of his wrist and stop him. He turns back curiously, gold eyes meeting mine unflinchingly.

"Um... I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I'm a little moody when I first wake up- but you didn't deserve the attitude I gave you," I apologize, even though it's not what I actually want to say to him.

 _Is it really 212X?_

"Oh," Lyle seems surprised by my apology, but gives me a soft smile that I can't help but smile back at when he reaches over to rub the top of my head comfortingly. "No worries, I understand. Just rest for now."

I release his wrist and watch carefully as he leaves. As soon as he's out the door (thankfully, he closes the door this time), I get out of bed and pull the needle out of my arm, leaving the bandage to keep the hole covered as I make my way over to the new clothes left on the chair in the room for me.

Every part of my body begs me to just get back in bed and rest, but I don't turn around, picking up the simple red sweatshirt hoodie and pulling the top of my hospital gown down to pull it over my bare torso. Unfortunately, that airhead didn't think about underwear or shoes for me, so these will have to do for now until I get back home...

"Take your time, champ..." I murmur under my breath as I make several glances towards the door, pulling the black jeans on under my gown until I have them zipped up and buttoned properly, ripping the tied gown off easily so that I stand in my new outfit ready to take on the world.

Before I rush to the door, I walk back over to my bedside when I notice that Lyle's left his pen. I glance back and click it open, scribbling on a spare notepad yet another apology. Hopefully he doesn't take this personally or anything... Something about this hospital is just really weird!

 _First things first, get out of here. What hospital is this anyways?_

I walk out of my room carefully, nervous as I pass the doorway and into the near empty hallways. It isn't until I see nurses sparing me fleeting glances that I realize my chance to escape is right then. The nurses at the front desk don't realize I'm a patient under 'critical watch' which is a term coined for patients hospitals will outright _refuse_ to release until their exams are done and health are back to tip top shape.

 _Was I in that bad of condition to be put under critical watch?_ I wonder, walking past a few insomniac patients taking their own spins around the hallways. Thankfully, I don't see Lyle as I find the elevators and press one of the buttons, waiting for the elevator to arrive. It seems to take forever to my mind though, and I eventually growl in frustration and turn to go find the stairwell towards the left wing of the hospital. I'm just about to leave the elevator lobby when I suddenly hear the ding of the elevator finally arriving and spin around to return... Until I spot Lyle exiting with a hospital doctor beside him.

My eyes widen like dinner plates as I race to another hall parallel to the elevator lobby, hiding behind a wall and listening as Lyle speaks to the doctor. It's only them talking, so I can clearly make out what they're saying due to the acoustics of the empty halls, along with the sound of their shoes hitting the tile as they walk.

I'm a little sour that I don't hear the sound of a cart of food, but decide there's no point considering I'll already be gone by the time the guy brings it to my room.

"I actually think that girl is the _real_ missing granddaughter of the ingenious Doctors Thomas Light and Albert Wily, Sir," I hear Lyle say, taking slow breaths as I resist the urge to slide down the wall and take a seat. I already know that once my butt hits the floor, I'm not going to wanna get up again.

 _They're talking about my grandfathers,_ I realize, smiling at the thought of seeing them again. They must be so worried! Especially after those incidents with...

...I really don't want to ruin things by thinking about _those_ things...

I hear an exaggerated sigh and frown a little at the execution, waiting for the doctor to say something.

"I understand what you're saying, kid, but... It's just impossible for it to be her. Scientifically, the doctor's missing granddaughter would have already died a long time ago- she went missing back in 20XX when she was eighteen and has been missing ever since. That's over a hundred years of being AWOL, that girl left and never came back is all. I heard she was insane. She probably snapped after Doctor Wily went crazy with the idea of taking over the world... There isn't a lot of information on what happened with those two doctors kept in our records, but if that girl is the real Phyllis Light-"

"-Wily-Light," Lyle audibly corrects.

"-Yes, then she must be using some kind of super anti-aging cream..." The doctor continues, their voices slowly growing further and further as I stand behind the wall stiff with disbelief at their words.

"So then... Why do they have the same face?" Lyle asks, prompting me to move up a little closer to watch them hurry down the hall and towards the entrance to the center I've recently escaped from.

"Are you sure it's the same face? You're the only one who's actually researched about that girl, and you're a mega fan of her work. You might just be excited and seeing resemblances that aren't actually there..."

"No, I'm absolutely sure that they have the same face. How long are we keeping her, by the way? She looked antsy to leave last time I was in there," Lyle speaks up, as I tail them carefully, making sure not to appear too suspicious to the eyes of strangers.

"Well, those things we found in her bloodstream? After we took out the fluid IV yesterday night, they seemed to start reappearing again. I don't think she's going to get out of here until we completely get rid of whatever's in her body. If we take out the IV too early or stop giving it to her before it's entirely neutralized, they'll only reappear and spread through her bloodstream again. I want to do a few more examinations on her as well- this might be a virus that could spread to other people if she were to go out and socialize. Just as a precaution, we should take a little of your blood for a check-up and have you wear a mask in her presence," The doctor says, leaving me to stop tailing them now that I've heard enough to understand a little of what's going on.

"Alright, Doctor Eddel..." I hear Lyle agree rather begrudgingly, as if he dislikes the idea of having his own blood drawn and/or wearing a mask.

 _I sure hope it isn't a virus. 'Cause I'm not staying here another minute, these people are_ obviously _crazy if they think one hundred years has passed them. I'll gladly take one of those masks to be safe though,_ I think as I turn to leave the hospital again, taking a mask out of a nearby trolley and pulling it on over my face brightly as I walk over towards the elevators. I press the elevator button, only to jump in surprise when the sound of an alarm in the center behind me begins to ring, prompting me to break into a run out of the elevator lobby and towards the left wing of the hospital where I can see the stairwell.

"Ow, ow, ow...!" I grunt as I throw open the door and run down the stairs with my bare feet, doing my best to ignore that nasty cold sensation of pure tile under my toes. On the bright side though, at least I'm not wearing heels- that would be a _nightmare_ to run down the stairs in!

The doors above me burst open, but thankfully, I'm already a couple of flights down. My eyes catch sight of a camera as I pass the seventh floor, quickly flipping it off as I pull my hood up over my wild dark green curls and continue running as the thundering sound of the better build guards (I assume) start to get closer and closer.

By the time I hit the bottom floor, I switch to sneaky mode and choose to continue down the stairs, my footsteps as silent as a mouse. I can see a blind on the last camera and use it to my advantage, making sure to slide past out of its view to hide under the stairs at the bottom of the floor. I wait until I hear the guards reach the floor.

"Split up, you take the other door. Remember, she's weak, so don't be too rough with her. We don't want to make her state any worse than it already is," I hear one of the guards say, while the other just scoffs.

"Whatever," the other guard replies, and I smirk as soon as they push the doors open.

 _Count to ten... Then I'll run to either doorway and get the hell out of here._

...

...

I bite my lip as I wait, taking a few deep breaths until the time is up.

 _Now!_

I run out from under the stairwell and charge to one of the doors, throwing it open and stepping through. My eyes widen as soon as I see one of the guards backtracking my way, heading back towards the stairwell as he looks up from adjusting his jacket. This guard sees me only moments after I spot him, and I charge past him before he can fully react and grab hold of my arm.

"HEY!" I hear the guard shout, running after me as I sprint into the dark dimly lit parking lot and swerve past the many parked vehicles. I already notice how odd and unfamiliar the majority of the cars are, but can't stop and think about it due to the guard chasing after me.

 _Keep running and don't look back! Even if it hurts!_ I encourage myself, pushing through my pain to keep heading for the lot entrance- until I see the other guard rounding the lot from outside the entrance, prompting me to skid to a stop that makes my legs and arms throb as I look around for another exit, which I spot in the shape of stairs leading up to the next level. There should be another exit leading out up there, it's still at level with a path leading to the streets.

"Quit running, kid, we've had a long day already!" The guard that's been following since I stepped into the lot shouts as I race for the stairs and begin to climb two at a time quickly, my breathing beginning to grow shallow with exertion.

I'm just about to finally reach the exit when a hand finally wraps around mine, prompting me to cry out in objection when I'm forcefully yanked into the broad chest of one man. "Let go of me! I'm not going back in there, I _hate_ hospitals!" I shout as I struggle in the man's grip. Lord only knows how true that statement is, considering I've already visited enough doctors in the past three years to last a lifetime.

 _It's because of those_ things _though._

 _No! I don't want to think about that!_

I grunt as I steel myself with my resolve, finding a good position to ground my feet and throw myself back so that he stumbles back towards the stairs. The guard shouts in panic as he loses his balance on a step and throws his arms out to catch the railing. As he falls, I catch the edge of a beam a few feet ahead and kick back at his belly with my left foot, turning my head slightly to watch as he misses the railing and tumbles down the stairs into his buddy further down. All I do is snicker at the mess as they squawk and groan, up-righting myself and continuing away to the exit with little to no more resistance as I hit the sidewalk and make a sharp turn.

I'm running for a while- or at least jogging. A few peeks over my shoulder reveal a lack of anyone tailing me, much to my relief. Considering how many loons are in that hospital... The last thing I need is to be chased from one end of the city to the other.

As I approach a largely populated area of civilians, I finally slow down to a wobbly stroll and peel the hospital mask off my nose and mouth. With my curls in the way, I yank down my hood and stumble in confusion to a bench on the side of the city street.

 _Where am I?_ Is all I can think as I look up in wonder at the many tall sky scrapers and buildings around me. People are walking around my bench as I start to breathe in heavily in my panic, pulling my hood back up again to hide the fear I know is scrawled across my face. I've never seen a city like _this_ before. Everything looks... _Different._ I don't have to look hard enough to guess that this isn't Mega City- but if that's the case, how did I get here then?

"Excuse me, Miss, are you alright?" A voice speaks up, prompting me to lift my head and see if the question is being directed at me.

My eyebrows lift and my disposition starts to relax when I find a rather human-looking robot looking down at me. For a second, I eye him up and down, taking in the red hair and brown eyes with wonder before I begin to look over the design of his gauntlets at the ends of his arms and legs.

"Cool," I blurt out with a smile, before realizing what I've said and shaking my head to focus on what the robot has just asked me. I can see the robot smile bashfully with red dusted cheeks, and I immediately change the topic to save him from the torture. "Oh, sorry... I'm kind of lost, so I figured now is the best time to take a breather before I get even _more_ lost."

The robot, already forgetting my previous comment, immediately offers me a hand to help me on my feet. At first, I stare at it, curiously studying it's shape and the design before I find my hand slipping into his easily. He seems extremely happy at my reaction, and I smile in turn. "You could always ask someone for directions, you know?" He chuckles, making me shrink back slightly in embarrassment as I reply with, "R-right... Anyways, my name's Phyllis."

For a second, the blinks at me, but then he smiles again and gives a slight bow that makes me smile even more. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Phyllis. They call me Diver," the robot brightly chirps, continuing with, "So where are you headed? I'd be happy to help you find your way."

I breathe out in relief. _Maybe luck is on my side after all?_

"I'm trying to get to Mega City," I say, relaxing my hand in Diver's hold.

In the time span of half a second, Diver's smile vanishes and he rips his hand away from mine as if I've burnt him, causing my expression to shift into confusion as I watch the expression of mistrust cross his features. I drop my hand back to my side and step back a little. Why's he looking at me like that?

His eyes seem to finally look me up and down, eyeing my messy curls, the hospital mask clutched in my left hand and the lack of shoes on my feet.

 _Or maybe I should stop getting my hopes up about things ever looking up for me,_ I think, taking another step back with a crestfallen look as I force myself to turn away and walk away from the robot. It looks like he doesn't want to help me anymore after that, and despite not understanding, I decidedly respect his need for space.

 _I don't understand why that upset him... I'm just trying to get to Mega City, do people here not like Mega City residents? What was that robot created for anyways? His name is Diver, so maybe he works on underwater works? I don't know... I just want to go home._

I shiver, looking up when something pricks my nose gently. From the dark night sky, I can see small contrasting white flakes falling down towards me as I stop to watch. More prick my nose on the way down, and I clutch the front of my sweatshirt thankfully when I realize what they are.

 _Snow?_ I think, catching a few in flakes in my hands and looking at them curiously. They melt immediately as they touch my palm, and I wipe the melted water on my pants as I hug my shoulders and look around for a place to go. People are aimlessly passing me, giving me no second glances as I spin around and get on my tip toes to find some kind of help center.

Maybe not though... People who work at that hospital I woke up in are probably looking for me, and oh joy, I passed by the insignia and name of that place maybe a hundred times on my way out and I managed to completely forget about retaining the hospital name anyways!

 _Alright, then find a library or something! Or..._

I stop turning around when I find what looks to be a small ray of hope in my otherwise bleak list of options, immediately skirting around the crowd of people towards it on careful, throbbing legs. I still feel like complete shit- but regardless of my state I want to get home first. I want to jump into my warm bed and curl up in the sheets...

 _Which home? Home with Peter and Pate? Or home with Grandpa Wily?_ I think, slowly recalling the argument I'd had with my mother last time I spoke to her. I walk up to my destination and push open the door, tossing my hospital mask in a trash bin by the entrance as I recalibrate my focus on finding what I need: a _map._

The sound of an electronic beep echoing through the more or less empty little store has me jumping slightly, remind me to be wary of my surroundings in case I need to bolt out. Lavender violates my nostrils in unholy amounts, but I press on in towards a wall with many papers and pamphlets of things to do.

"Welcome to the good ol' visitor center, lil' miss!" An obviously male voice brightly twangs from somewhere near the back of the store, causing me to jump yet again as I swing around to see a man raising an eyebrow in slight confusion at my edginess and appearance. "...Aren't ya a bit young to be a tourist? Where are yer parents?"

The man looks around me towards the glass door leading outside, but I just give him a scoff and a look of slight offense. "I'm eighteen, sir," I correct him, before adding, "-and I'm not a _tourist_ either, thank you very much. I'm just here to see if I can get a map of... Here."

The man, looking to be in either his thirties or forties, twists his face up in confusion, but points towards the wall opposite of me. "Right there, lil' miss..."

I throw the older man a nod and go where he's indicated, shuffling through the papers until I find what I'm looking for. "Do I have to pay to take it out? Or can I-" I begin, just as the man raises a hand to stop me.

"They're free, sweetheart," The man says, which immediately has me pulling one out and opening it up to see where the heck I am. I do scowl at the cute nickname though, cause sheesh, I didn't even let both my _Gramps_ call me that. "...Are ya lost?"

"Yeah. I'm trying to get to Mega City," I say offhandedly, this time purposefully saying it to see if I get a similar reaction to that of the robot from before. The top of the map reads my location, a place I've never heard of in my life called: Abel City.

 _Where in the heck is Abel City in relation to Mega City?_ I wonder to myself in slight frustration.

Immediately, the old man walks around the counter with a scowl on his face, so quickly that I look up and have to scramble backwards towards the door before he can get within five feet of me. The expression on my face must relate some of the unease and fear I feel though, because he stops when I look back up at him.

"...Ye're not a mechaniloid looter, are ya? Ya look too young to be workin' for the Emerald Spears, even at _eighteen_. Them lunatics better not be recruiting the impressionables..." The old man has this piercing glare narrowed on me, and I shift back slightly in an attempt to get some space.

"I don't work for anyone! I'm just trying to get home, I _live_ in Mega City," I add, shaking my head at his statement. _What are the Emerald Spears?_

A snort leaves the man, and just like that, the exasperation on his face hardens. "Oh, that's rich... I don' appreciate bein' lied to, lil' miss," he says, inching back towards his counter.

"I'm not lying! I live there! Right on Bidium Avenue with my grandfather, it's close to an expensive shopping district- Um..." I pause to inhale and close my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose as I lift the hand with my map in frustration towards my head. "I-I can't remember the name, but it's popular shopping district. They always use the plaza to host these dog and rabbit shows."

When I open my eyes and drop my hands on my sides, the old man is giving me this twisted look that borders both disbelief as well as surprise. "I'll be damned. Ya've read up on yer history of that place, haven't ya? Well, why don' ya escort yerself outta my workspace- Get back to yer fancy library and keep on readin'... Lord knows it's better than whatever them Emerald Dafts got ya doin' to be initiated in their gang."

My mouth pops open in shock. "Do I seriously _look_ like a gang member?! I'm telling you the tru-!" I begin, stepping closer and clutching the map I've gotten so tightly that it folds and crinkles under the pressure. This seems like enough to make the older man pull something out from behind him, tucked in the waistband of his pants. There is a moment of pure silence as I shut up at the sight, raising my hands with a frozen expression of unease.

He points the gun to my face without a sliver of remorse across his hardened features, not a bone of his body shaking as I stare down the barrel of the pistol he holds in his hands. His fingers are knocked on the trigger, his thumb resting on the safety yet not releasing it. It's obviously a warning- one that says I've got a limited amount of time and chances to turn and leave before he actually takes that safety off.

"Get. Out," He enunciates carefully, prompting me to reach over to put the map back- until he snaps, "Take it with ya, I don' care. 'S long as I don' see yer face in my shop again... I've got a great memory, so don' think ye can fool me."

I nod nervously and begin to walk backwards, until I feel a pain in the back of my knee and buckle slightly with a wince and a soft hiss. Too scared to tend to it at that moment though, I turn away right as he begins to lower the pistol. His eyes are focused on my palm, the one that isn't holding my newly acquired map, but rather than stay and find out if he'll actually shoot me, I hurry out of the visitor center with a slight limp.

 _At least I got what I went in there for... So much for the warm welcome in this city. What is it called again?_

As I turn the corner and slow to a stroll that will put less pressure and stress on the leg I've probably pulled a muscle in, I unfold the map and walk past a few people to lean against a wall. No point in walking if I don't know where I'm going yet.

 _Abel City._

I leer with squinted eyes at my map, using the many city lights and billboard glows to scan around the area before looking up to find some indication of the street I'm on. Immediately, I spot a street sign straight ahead.

 _Okay, so I'm at the corner of Millsweek and Arrow..._ I note, tapping the pockets of my sweatshirt and pants- until I sigh and gently thump the back of my head against the wall behind me in remembrance. Right... These aren't my clothes and I don't have a pen on me like I normally do.

I shake my frustration away to look at the map again, opening it more when I'm unable to find Mega City. I see two other cities across a desert to the left of Abel City, which piques my interest with its familiar name- Wasteless Badlands. If the Wasteless Badlands are left of Abel City then...

My finger drags north of the desert- towards an unnamed plot of land incidentally cut off from the actual map itself as well as Abel City and the desert, only giving about a few centimeters of its presence running along a small part of the upper part of the page.

 _That's it!_ I realize, despite the land not even having a name placed there. _That's strange, why would people not put Mega City on their maps? I don't understand the deal with all these people!_

I fold my map back up and stick it in my pants pocket, tucking it in deep before pushing off of the wall and testing my leg. Seems like the cramp from before is gone, but from what I saw on that map? I highly doubt I'm in any shape to walk that distance to Mega City on foot...

 _Maybe you don't have to walk at all, your moldy brained idiot,_ I think, touching my chin in thought. _I need a communicator! Private or public- doesn't matter! I can just call my family to come pick me up! DUREUREUR!_

"I'm such an idiot...!" I mutter to myself out loud, face palming and just about to walk away until a hand firmly wraps around my right wrist, sending my alarm skyrocketing when I look up to see who is tugging me closer.

"Yeah! You _are,"_ A familiar gold-eyed blonde with brown roots and a nurse's badge hanging around his neck replies, leaning in close and getting in my face. "I just got the lecture of my _life_ because I decided to not strap you in that bed, you know? I was trying to be nice and look where it got me! They kicked me out for the next two weeks 'cause they're convinced I need a _vacation_!"

I can't help but relax immediately, and as soon as I do, Lyle releases me and crosses his arms to give me a look.

"Well?" He says after a minute of silence from me. "Got anything to say then?"

I blink at him and back down at my feet for a second, right before remembering my immediate conclusion I'd come to before he scared the living daylights out of me by popping out of nowhere. My eyes brighten as I look back up at his taller form, grabbing his hand in hopes to play on his soft side- considering what he'd just told me.

"Do you have a communicator I could use for a second?" I inquire off the bat, watching his eyebrows drop and knit together as he slouches slightly. Obviously he was waiting for an apology, but... Eh, I got bigger things to worry about than his current feelings.

"...Yes," he answers with a moody huff, digging into his black cargo pants pocket to fish out a fancy looking, thin blue device that my eyes widen at in shock as soon as he places it in my hands.

"Um, wow. Swanky, but... I've never seen a communicator like this," I admit, baffled at the device as I power it on and scan the options of applications and menus. Eventually, I recognize a pattern and it all clicks. "Oh wait! Never mind, I got this."

I tap on a selection that looks promising, and grin when a number pad pops up. Lyle watches calmly with interest as I begin typing Grandpa Light's device number, and hold it up to my ear patiently as I wait for the call to connect. At first, there is an odd beep, followed by a buzzing before an automated female voice starts to speak.

 _"Our apologies, however, the device number you've inputted is invalid. Please end the call and try again."_

I raise an eyebrow and pull the device from my ear, glancing down at the number on the screen with a scrutinizing leer. No... The number is correct.

"Problem?" Lyle asks, raising an eyebrow as he watches me end the call and delete the input of numbers.

"Um... Let me try another number," I hesitantly reply, typing in Peter's number next. The automated female voice picks up almost immediately this time, and I end the call to type in Grandpa Wily's device number.

Before I know it, I've used every number I know in my head- even _Cecilia's_ number.

The device claims all to be invalid.

"I think your device is broken or something- it's saying all my family's communicator numbers are invalid," I say, pausing to eye the date at the top and add, "Also, the date on it is as wrong as the dates in your hospital."

Lyle takes back his comm. device and immediately turns it back on, tapping the number pad on and typing in a string of unfamiliar numbers. He holds it up to his ear and waits, offering me a side glance that makes me wrinkle my nose in distaste. Is he trying to prove something?

"...Hello? Andrew, is that you? Yeah, this is Lyle Brosnan. Hey, I was wondering- can I go back to work yet?" Lyle asks with a sarcastic grin that only widens when he pulls his device away to the audible dropped call tone that comes after his query. With that, he turns off his device and sticks it back in his pocket. "Works fine to me."

"If it was fine, my calls would have all worked too," I insist, watching Lyle cross his arms as he leans against the wall to listen to me. "...I don't have time to entertain you. I'll just walk."

I'm just about to turn away when he grabs my wrist again, pulling me back much to my disbelief. Before I can snap at him and get mouthy, he drives a finger into the bend of my arm- making me yelp and slap his hand away at the sharp soreness.

"What the hell was _that_ for?!" I bark, but he just rolls his eyes and lets me rip my wrist out of his grip.

"Your ligaments are all weak. If you walk all the way to Mega City, you're going to either pass out on the way or pull a muscle. I'll give you a ride tomorrow if you're that desperate to go," Lyle explains calmly, watching me narrow my eyes on him.

"Then I guess I'll risk walking- I'm not staying in this _weird_ city another minute," I comment, turning away to leave. His next words make me stop in my tracks though.

"Okay. Be careful of the badland bandits. And the scorpions. And the coyotes. And the robotic wildlife. And any robotic wildlife traps... Aaand the Emerald Spears. Probably the mosquitoes too- if you don't fancy itchy sores at least," Lyle says, prompting me to bite my lip and look back at him in frustration.

"...I _can't_ wait. I have nowhere to go and I don't know anyone in this city," I state, my tone softening with resignation as I look up at him. For some reason, he's grinning brightly, one hand rising to point at himself as he gives me a wink. I cock my head slightly to the side and stare at what he's trying to say by that, but if it's any indication, I already don't like what he's about to suggest, so I end up answering off the bat. "I don't even _know_ you."

Instead of taking the rejection, Lyle grins and grabs my hand again to shake it. "Hi! I'm Lyle Brosnan and I'm a registered nurse at Blue Trinity Hospital. I live on the corner of Millsweek and Dianthus Drive, and I'm licensed in first aid and CPR _._ Good? Great! Let's go then!" Lyle explains really quickly, dropping the hospital name and eventually pulling me along by my hand towards the side of the road, where there is a strange machine that resembles a motorcycle sitting on the street. Confused as to what it is, I have no choice but to follow Lyle due to the unbreakable hold he has on my hand, letting him help me on the contraption while he sits at the front and puts my arms around his waist.

 _I really hope this isn't a bad idea..._ I think as I automatically tighten my arms around Lyle's waist when he releases my hand.

I yelp as the cycle suddenly starts to hover on the ground, hearing Lyle snicker at my unease from the front before the machine lurches forward and merges with the traffic. Meanwhile, I stare at the passing pedestrians in wonder as we traverse up Millsweek road, my eyes eventually glossing over as I think about what I will eventually have to tell my grandfathers, parents, brothers, and the robots when I get home.

 _This is just like that time when I ran off. Only this time, it's more like the time I woke up on the kitchen stove... Except in another city I don't recognize at all. I've never been savvy with maps or the locations outside of Mega City or past the Wasteless Badlands, but... I'm sure I've definitely never heard of a city as big as this being near Mega City!_

After a few minutes, Lyle starts to decrease his speed as we enter a street, and turn into a driveway where a modest house sits. He presses a button on his cycle and the garage opens up, allowing us to drift inside where another machine much like Lyle's sits- bearing a contrasting violet hue that stands out against Lyle's green machine.

"What are these?" I ask in wonder, looking over his shoulder as Lyle shuts the machine down and lets it slowly descent until it is no longer hovering. "Hover bikes?"

Lyle pulls out his keys and jumps off the bike, turning to watch me as I scoot up on the seat and look over the buttons and mechanics of the bike curiously. "Basically. They're called 'Ride Chasers', if you want to be exact," he answers, putting a hand up to muffle his simper when I finally shift to get my foot off the side. The ride chaser is a bit tall for me, so I only manage to plant my tiptoes on the ground before I lift my other foot and end up stumbling back into Lyle- much to my embarrassment.

"Careful there," he laughs shamelessly as I scramble back onto my aching legs and take a step back from him. Instead of giving me a look, he walks towards a door that leads into the house and presses a button on the wall, causing the garage door to begin shutting with a loud buzz. I jump in surprise and grunt in displeasure at my uneasy temperament, watching the door close behind me as Lyle enters his house. Since my only hope in getting home rides on the nurse, I follow him in quickly, closing the door to the garage behind me.

 _I'm spending the night at a strange guy's house... My Grandfathers are going to kill me when they hear this,_ I realize, sighing as I lock the door behind me despite getting no indication to do so from Lyle. I reckon it's safer though, and if he wants it unlocked, he can come back and unlock it himself.

When I look up from staring down at my feet, Lyle is nowhere in sight. I look around and frown, raising my hands and dropping them in confusion. Now what? Where'd he go?

"You can take the guest room at the end of the hall. Used to be my sister's buuut... She's not here anymore," I hear Lyle's voice nearing, until his head sticks out from a corner that leads to some stairs. "If you're hungry, help yourself to whatever's in the fridge though. I'm going to bed."

He disappears around the corner again and I'm left standing in the living room, looking around at the coffee table, couch and large flat television set sitting on the wall in front of the couch. I snort in amusement when I see a sunken in spot on the couch, much in the shape of someone's behind as I walk up the small steps leading to the raised platform of the kitchen, which sits behind the lower leveled living room with a railing separating the two.

It's a nice house, that's for sure. Not too dramatically organized like Mom and Dad's place, but... Rather like Grandpa Light's house. I take a seat on the other end of the couch and lay down for a moment, clenching my hands around the ever present ocean-green stones sitting in my palms. Strangely enough, no one seemed to think twice about them- not Lyle or the other nurses in the hospital, not that man in the visitor center when I raised my hands at gunpoint...

The only reminder of the torturous insanity I'd been recently thrust into.

I close my eyes for a moment, reminding myself of the comfortable guest bed upstairs before I force myself on my feet and climb up the dark stairs, turning off the light to the living room once I find it by the staircase.

I don't remember actually walking to the room, but eventually, I find a visibly empty and feminine room with an empty bed that I plop right on top of without even peeling the covers back. Apparently, my brain is exhausted after the relentless frustration following my awakening in the hospital, and I fall right to sleep without another thought- like if it's even _safe_ for me to fall asleep here.

 _Sleep now... Think later..._ I decide as the real world slowly drifts away from me and I enter a realm that surprisingly seems to make better sense than Abel City does.

* * *

 **A/N: Let us descend into the madness, my fellow Fan Fictioners, as we proceed into Part Two. I wonder if X and Zero are around...? Well, we'll just have to see!**


	12. Story Info Update ,'

Update to any readers still camping around (though somehow I sincerely doubt it?), **Memory chip** is about to get **HELLA** **rewritten**. Also, I will also be uploading it on _Wattpad_ eventually as well, sooo...

If you wanna go look for it there, you can. It's not there right now (July 5th, 2017 as of writing this), but I'll post it once I've uploaded the rewritten **Memory Chip** here.

Sorry for any inconvenience! x.x This story is all over the place and I'm gonna clean it up a little... I edited it heavily before, but it's not enough. There are inconsistencies that need to be addressed before I continue past the beginning Classic Arc and move into the Abel City arc.

UwU

Thank you for your time and thanks for understanding~! 3


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